Sinnoh Revamped
by Analon
Summary: Chosen to wield the greatest Aura, join Ash, his friends, and the Legendary Pokémon in their struggle against the force threatening even the existence of their reality.
1. A lesson learned

Sinnoh Revamped

**Summary: **Follow Ash Ketchum, aspiring Pokémon master throughout his journey in Sinnoh, where he learns the true elements contributing to a trainer's success- hard work and dedication. He is more serious towards his goal, and thus takes more than just Pikachu with him. Old and new faces join him on his journey, and he strives to undermine a rising threat that affects the very existence of the Pokéverse. Along the way, he reaches within himself and finds out just why he is special.

No Shippings decided yet. This is a tale of Ash's adventures through Sinnoh, the people he meets and the adventures he'll face. Please don't expect much in the romance department, but I guarantee you'll see a lot of action.

**Author's notes: **Hello all, I'm a fan of Pokémon and Pokémon fanfics and have read almost all of the good fanfics based on Pokémon. This is my first attempt of any form of literature, so please go easy on me. Please point out my mistakes and correct me on facts if you find them. It's been a long time since I have seen the series, but am familiar with the fanfics. So I hope I do well. Also, I'm a student in engineering, so I'm a bit of a busy person. I'll try my best to update.

Ash will get smarter eventually, but won't be too OOC. He'll act more like a trainer his age. I am not good at describing Contests. Dawn will be present, but I don't think I'll be able to replicate her style.

This story has been inspired by many, particularly the works of ARCEUS-Master, Pichuauraguardian49, 'Storming Unova' by perfect oblivion, 'The Best, Like No One Ever Was' by Omega-Saber, and 'Ash's Unleashing' by Lightningblade49. The story idea might have been used before but I'll try to do this in my style. You can expect many events to change, but it won't be AU.

**Oh, and just to be clear, Ash's age is nearing 15 at the beginning of the fic. He is NOT the 10 year old as Unova pictured him to be.**

Key:

"Speech"

_Thoughts_

"_Telepathy_"

'Pokéspeech'

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. The characters and other elements of this story are the copyrighted property of Pokémon or its affiliates and licensors. This fan fiction is purely for enjoyment and no desire of profit comes out of it. **

Now, without further ado…

(Drum Rolls…)

**Chapter 1**

**A lesson learned**

Ash was still reeling from shock. He was a (moderately) reputed Pokémon trainer, and he considered himself pretty good. But he had just lost to Gary, of all people. How was it, that a retired Pokémon trainer was able to defeat him, the champion of Orange Islands and the victor of the Kanto Battle frontier? Brandon was as good as an elite trainer. But his Pikachu matched Brandon's Regice, a Legendary, for crying out loud! But he couldn't defeat his former rival's electivire. The old Gary, sure, but he stopped training, right? Then how did this happen?

The answer came to him. He got cocky and careless. He made mistakes. How could he rectify that?

_I know I'm more experienced than Gary_, Ash thought. _But I didn't apply my experience in battle. Every time I learn a lesson on being a trainer, I forget it the next day. But this can't continue. I need to be a better trainer, or I'm letting down not only myself, but also strong trainers like Drake and Brandon, whom I defeated. But what should I do? …Maybe Professor Oak has the answer._

So he went to the venerable Professor Oak, his source of advice at critical points of his journey. The Professor was in his lab, conducting some research about things Ash really had no idea about.

"Professor Oak, can I ask you something?"

"Sure Ash, fire away." Replied the Professor.

Ash took a deep breath. "How can I become a better trainer?" he asked.

_Now where did that come from_' the Professor wondered. _His loss at Gary's hands must have affected him worse than I thought. Oh well, that could be a good thing. I was meaning to bring this up anyway_.

"Well, you can start by taking better care of your Pokémon." Professor Oak replied. _Harsh, yes, but he needs to learn._

"But I do take good care of them. Even you say Pikachu is one of the best Pokémon you have seen!" Ash protested.

"True, that. But you have other Pokémon too you know. What about your Kanto set? Or even the ones from Johto?"

"But you're taking care of them" said Ash, confused.

"Precisely my point Ash, I am taking care of them. I know you can't carry more than six Pokémon with you, but every time you start a new journey you take only Pikachu with you. Unlike Gary, who rotates his Pokémon rather than preferring one, you seem to devote yourself to the current set when in a journey rather than occasionally training others. The bond of trust between a trainer and Pokémon is important Ash, and not using your other Pokémon or training them will weaken the bond. You should help them realize their inner potential in return of taking away their freedom"

Those words hit the mark. Ash had never realized how his Pokémon felt about him neglecting them. He was a trainer, an aspiring master, but he failed to understand his dearest friends, the Pokémon that has meant the world to him even before his journey started. In the rush of excitement when embarking on a new journey, eager to make new friends, he left behind his old ones. He hadn't even battled with many of them for quite a long time.

_Well, better late than never!_ Thought Ash. _I'll make up for what I did and show them they didn't make a mistake accepting me as their trainer. That is, if they'll let me…_

"Thank you, Professor. I should've realized that and I'm ashamed of the way I neglected them. But I want to make up for it. I'll take my friends along for my next journey. Who do you suggest I take with me?" Ash asked.

"Good for you! I'm glad you understand." The professor beamed. "I know you'll be a great trainer Ash. As for the Pokémon, other than Pikachu, I suggest taking Cyndaquil, Bulbasaur and Corphish. A grass, fire and water type, all of whom can climb to higher levels with your help. You have enough space to accommodate new ones you may catch. Of course, it's still your choice, Ash."

"Thanks Professor, they're perfect. I haven't battled with them or trained them for a while. And I guess I'll rotate with the other Pokémon here?" he asked.

"Precisely. So have you decided where you're going next?"

"Of course!" said Ash. "I'll go to Sinnoh! Gary said it was a great region with great challenges! But first, I gotta see my Pokémon again."

"Sure thing, Ash. I'm sure they'll be glad to know you're taking them with you."

Smiling, Ash left the laboratory building, to where the Pokémon are located. On the way, he met a few kids who had come there to play with the Pokémon. Upon seeing Ash, they were excited and wanted to talk with him. Some asked him for an autograph, while some little girls fawned over Pikachu. Apparently, his league accomplishments didn't go unnoticed, neither did his victory at the Battle Frontier. Ash went over the top when his Mom told him he made it to the front page because of that accomplishment. Moments like these were those that Ash cherished. After engaging them for a while, he waved goodbye to the kids and saved Pikachu from being hugged to death.  
_I know my mistakes. Now, It's time to correct them _he thought, looking at his partner, and asked for his support. "What do you think, Pikachu?"

"Pikapi! Pika pika Pikachu pika!"

"You're right buddy! Time to make up to them!" Ash replied, fist-pumping. His unique bond with Pikachu allowed him to get a rough translation of what his partner meant.

Ash walked over to the ranch. It was beautiful, with the afternoon sunlight shining on the green meadow. There were a few wild Pokémon and Pokémon caught by other trainers who started from this part of Kanto. The Oak laboratory is huge, and made up a significant part of Pallet town. He finally reached his destination, and saw all the Pokémon he caught on his journey, either sleeping peacefully, playing, or, in some cases, training. He had unforgettable adventures and memories with all of them. Even Tauros, one of his underused Pokémon, had performed magnificently against Drake. Speaking of Tauros, Ash wondered how he'd train them. He'll have to train the leader and have him teach the others.

"Hey Guys! Over here! I'm here to tell you guys something !" Ash shouted, waving. Pikachu too, helped his trainer gather their attention. "Pika!"  
The Pokémon that were awake recognized the voice, and nudged those asleep to get them to wake up.

Ash spotted a dust cloud, closer and closer it came and stopped in front of him. There they were. His friends, his life. Bulbasaur, Kingler, Muk, his 30 Tauros, Snorlax, Heracross, Bayleef, Cyndaquil, Totodile, Noctowl, Donphan, Swellow, Sceptile, Corphish, Torkoal, Aipom and Glalie.

"Guys", a few shouts of protest "and gals" Ash sweat dropped.

"I'm planning to leave for a new region called Sinnoh tomorrow. But unlike before, I want you some of guys to come with me. I know I've not been the best trainer" This led to massive protest from the group. Ash smiled at their support. "Thanks Guys, but it's true. It's my duty to train each of you and help you to be stronger. We're partners, but I haven't been doing my part well. Can you guys forgive me?"

The collective response was a big yes for Ash, so he smiled. "I can't take all of you guys, as I can only carry six Pokémon. I've left two slots open and I'll take Pikachu with me. That leaves three slots."

The excitement subsided. Everyone was in their best behavior, hoping they would be chosen.

"I've decided to take Bulbasaur, Cyndaquil and Corphish for now. But don't worry guys, I'll be asking for each of you in due time."

Bulbasaur was ecastic. Cyndaquil looked happy and Corphish was jumping up and down with joy. The others looked depressed but cheered up at the thought of meeting their trainer soon.

"Well, see you guys real soon! Gotta get ready for tomorrow!" Ash returned his selected three Pokémon and waved goodbye at the rest. He returned home and told his mom the news. She was a little sad that her son was leaving so soon, but understood the responsibilities of a trainer. She cooked him a feast for dinner and Ash went to sleep after that. He dreamt of greatness and achieving his long sought dream, to be the very best.

The next morning, Ash was faced with a rather shocking wakeup call in the form of a yellow rodent.

"Ouch! Pikachu! Those are starting to hurt!"

"Pikapi! Pikachu pikapika!" Pikachu replied sheepishly.

"Oh right! Today's the day!"

He quickly got up and got ready. He rushed downstairs and devoured his breakfast. He wore the new set of cloths gifted to him by his mother and his backpack. He got outside and was a bit surprised to see Professor Oak and Gary waiting for him.

"Hey Professor, Gary. What's up?"

"We came to wish you luck Ashy-boy. So Good luck!"

"Hey, thanks Gary, Professor!" Ash smiled.

"Don't mention it, Ash." Said the Professor, also smiling.

"I know you need it." came Gary's response.

Ash smiled. He should have expected that. "Well, see ya later!"

"Bye honey, and don't forget to- "

"Mom! I know! I'm not ten anymore! I'm fifteen!"

"You could've fooled me!" returned Gary.

"Shut it, Gary." Ash grumbled.

With a final wave of goodbye, Ash left to pursue his dreams.

Looking at the young trainer, Professor Oak found that a new determination shone in his eyes and his manner. Professor Oak felt excited too. Here was a trainer who has such raw potential, just waiting to be unleashed. It seems that Ash is ready to tap in to it from now. He's finally taking his training seriously, and his achievements even when he was slacking were astounding. His prodigious skill would only grow to new levels with his renewed resolve.

Ash headed towards Viridian city. He needed to get a ship from there. But he had something to do before that.

'_Look out Sinnoh! Here I come!_'

**Post A/N:**

Well, that's it for now. Tell me what you think.

Many thanks to Shaydrall for his great beta work!

Please do read and review, it really helps to inspire us writers!


	2. All Aboard!

**Chapter 2**

**A/N: **Here's the second chapter. I'd like to thank all the reviewers and people who supported this story by reading, following or/and adding it to favorites. So thank you! And to answer an unknown reviewer, most Pokémon would evolve eventually, but don't expect it to happen soon. Suffice to say, he'll be ready for the league.

I'm a bit confused about the Kanto map. I hope there is a dock in Viridian City. If not, I hereby make one! By the powers of Kyogre, let sea rise and land fall. Let there be a dock!

I think that's about it. So moving on,

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. The characters and other elements of this story are the copyrighted property of Pokémon or its affiliates and licensors. This fan fiction is purely for enjoyment and no desire of profit comes out of it. **

**Chapter 2**

**All Aboard!**

Soon after his departure from Pallet, Ash entered some of the thick woods near the road to get some training done. His new resolve was to train at any and every possible opportunity. Once they got into the woods, Ash called on his Bulbasaur, and in a flash of light, one of his oldest companions materialized before him.

"Bulba!"

"Bulbasaur, we'll be walking through the woods for a while. Why don't you walk with me, and, while you're at it, let's get some training done!" Ash said cheerfully.

"Saur! Bulba!" Bulbasaur was pumped and ready.

"That's the spirit! Now, I want you to cut a clear path with Razor Leaf. Use Vine Whip to remove any obstacle in the way. Let's can work on your power and increase your stamina. What do you say, Bulbasaur? You up for it? "

_That's new_ thought Bulbasaur and Pikachu at the same time. He began to do it, however. His trainer might be weird in some ways, but Bulbasaur would bet his leaf Ash knew what he was doing… er… most of the time.

By lunchtime, Bulbasaur was exhausted. Battling for half an hour was one thing, lifting fallen trees and leveling boulders with Razor Leaf was another. Yup! That's Ash's idea of clearing obstacles. Ash viewed this as a way to increase Bulbasaur's endurance. Being a small Pokémon, he didn't have the endurance that came with evolution. So it was possible for Bulbasaur to lose to a less experienced Pokémon with more power. Ash reasoned that working on Bulbasaur's endurance and speed would make him last longer in battle.

After a lunch break, they continued their journey. Eventually, Ash slowed down to a stop.

"Pika?" asked Pikachu.

"Pikachu, I have a bad feeling about this…"

"Pika?"

"Do you remember this place?" Ash asked.

Pikachu looked around. Dense green forest surrounded them form all the sides. A few Pidgey and Rattata could be seen. But Pikachu didn't see what was so special about it.

"Pika? Pikapi Pipikachu!"

"That's the problem, buddy. You don't remember this place, I don't remember this place. Which means…"

Pikachu slid off Ash's shoulder and face planted to the ground. _We're lost…_ Pikachu thought, with a large sweat drop forming in his head. Bulbasaur knew his trainer long enough to get what Ash was implying, and sat down tiredly.

"Hmm… the best thing to do would be to stay calm, like Brock always told us." Ash said, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "No use panicking!"

**Ten minutes later…**

"Aah! What do I do? What do I do? What do I do? We'll never get out of this place alive! We won't see Sinnoh, we'll miss the boat! We're doomed!" Ash yelled, running in random directions which always led him to a dead end.

_So much for not panicking._ Pikachu thought. He looked ahead and his eyes widened in alarm.

"Pikapi! Pii!" Pikachu said, pointing ahead frantically. Ash wasn't looking where he was going.

"What is it, buddy?" Ash turned to Pikachu, still running frantically.

"Pii, Pipikachu! Pii!" Pikachu yelled. _A tree, you idiot! A tree!_

"What are you talking about-OOF!" Ash ran straight into a tree. "Note to self: Pii means tree." Ash collapsed to the ground, groaning in pain.

"BEEDRILL!" Several voices were heard, and they didn't sound happy. Ash slowly opened his eyes.

"Oh, Crap!" Not the sort of attention he wanted right now.

Ash panicked. _Than many Beedrill, here? This isn't Viridian Forest_! A chill ran down Ash's spine. _Or is it?_

Ash was tired after ten minutes of panic attack. There was no way he could outrun the Beedrill now, especially after the close encounter with the tree kind.

"Go Cyndaquil!" Ash prayed his fire type would get him out of this predicament.

"Cyndaaa! Quillll!"

Cyndaquil was fired up and ready to go. Normally, a fire type has a distinct advantage over a bug type. But this was a LOT of bug types. Cyndaquil sweat-dropped. _Oh well..._

"Cyndaquil, use Flame Thrower!"

Ten Beedrill were crisp fry. Twenty more took their place.

"Don't lose heart Cyndaquil! Keep it up! Pikachu, Bulbasaur, help him out." Ash was really panicking now.

"Pika! CHUUU!"

"Bulba! SSAUR"

The three formed a triangle around their trainer, protecting him and each other. Soon, the forest was littered with fainted bugs. But, Viridian Forest was known for its bug type Pokémon. So, it was no wonder they were exhausted after ten solid minutes of attacking.

_So THAT'S why we never do this and always run. Wow! I'm already learning…_ "AAH!"

A Beedrill just got dangerously close. It was sent crashing, however, courtesy of an Iron Tail by Pikachu.

_This is getting nowhere. I don't want to tire our Corphish as well. What do I do?_

Fortunately, a feast of fried bugs seemed delicious for a passing group of flying Pokémon. However, their insightful leader wondered. _Now why are all these delicious bugs just lying around?_ Her eyes landed on a cap wearing trainer and a yellow rodent. _Wait that's…I should've known.._ Pidgeot sweat dropped.

"Pidgeot! Geot!" The leader instructed her flock. Immediately, the Pidgeottos and a few Pidgeot began swooping down and attacking the Beedrill surrounding Ash. Ash just watched in bewilderment at his new allies. He looked up and sure enough, there she was, the second ever Pokémon he ever caught, his Pidgeot!

"Pidgeot! Hey! Over here!" Ash waved.

After taking care of the rest of the Beedrill, Pidgeot came swooping down and landed in front of Ash.

"Pidgeot, Thank you! We were lost, and ended up in Viridian forest by accident. I'm sure glad I found you! You're a lifesaver!"

Pidgeot nodded and flapped her wings, indicating that she was happy to do so. Ash suddenly felt regret at not fulfilling his promise to her. He remembered telling her that he'd come back, but he forgot all about it. _Just like with my other Pokémon… I wonder…_

"Pidgeot, I'm very, very sorry for not coming back, I really have no excuse for it. I always get too excited during the start of a new journey… it's my fault. Will you forgive me? Will you come back with me?" Ash asked the last bit in a hopeful voice. He hoped Pidgeot would forgive him, and that he could make up for lost time with her.

Pidgeot considered. She had enjoyed being one of Ash's Pokémon. However, she was sad when he didn't return for her even a year after releasing her to protect the flock. But she also understood her trainer's selflessness in letting her protect them. It was a tough decision to make. The meeting was cut short, however, by an unwanted visitor.

"Scyther! Scy! Scy! Scyther!"

Slowly, Ash turned around. Beedrill were one thing, but a Scyther was more of a threat. All his Pokémon except Corphish were tired and beat up. The Scyther that Ash now saw looked strong- and angry.

"Oops. Looks like we disturbed its territory. He hehe." Ash grinned sheepishly. This only prompted the Scyther to get more agitated, and he fired a Night Slash attack.

_Night Slash! That Scyther must be very experienced to do that. More importantly- it's headed towards me!_ Ash closed his eyes and tried to shield himself. Pidgeot reacted immediately and intercepted the attack with Steel Wing.

"Wow Pidgeot! I didn't know you could do that!" Ash exclaimed. He had opened his eyes when he realized he was still in one piece, and saw the metallic glowing wing shielding him. It looked like Pidgeot picked up some new moves during her time away.

Pidgeot turned around and looked at Ash, as if waiting for something.

"You want me to command you again?"

"Pidgeot!"

Ash smiled. "Thank you, Pidgeot. Use Wing Attack!"

Quick as flash, Pidgeot advanced towards Scyther. The attack landed, and Scyther winced. Not wasting the opportunity, Scyther used an X-Scissor, and nailed it. Pidgeot winced slightly but didn't let it bother her.

"Steel wing!" Ash decided to test the power of the new move. Pidgeot's wings glowed metallic white and she hit Scyther forcefully. Scyther was sent crashing to a nearby tree. Ash was impressed by Pidgeot's speed and response time. This was their first battle together in years, yet Pidgeot obeyed without hesitation. They were in perfect sync. Then, Scyther used Swords Dance, Agility and Slash. Even with Pidgeot's speed, she could not dodge it. Scyther was pretty fast by itself, and coupled with Agility he could come close to Pikachu's speed. Ash was impressed again.

"Here's a combination of our own! Quick Attack and use the momentum for another Steel Wing!" Pidgeot quickly complied, and the attack hit the mark.

"Now, fly up in the air!" shouted Ash, while Scyther was still recovering.

Pidgeot complied. Scyther followed after her, but wasn't fast enough. Pidgeot had a stroke of inspiration. Time to show Ash her new move!

Pidgeot increased her speed. Scyther struggled to keep up. Suddenly, Pidgeot disappeared. Scyther blinked. Ash blinked. All of the Pokémon watching blinked. Then, Pidgeot appeared behind Scyther and used an Aerial Ace. Scyther crashed to the dirt and fainted.

"Wow! Aerial Ace! Great job, Pidgeot! That was one tough Scyther!" Ash was overjoyed. Taking out a Pokéball, Ash considered for a second. _I promise, Scyther, I'll train you to your best_' He thought. He was impressed by the determination Scyther had shown, and decided that Scyther would be a more than welcome addition.

"Go, Pokéball!" The red and white orb hit its target. Scyther was enveloped in red light and disappeared.

The ball twitched once.

Twice..

Three times…

"Ding!"

"Yes! We caught- A Scyther!" Ash did the pose that was oh-so familiar to everyone else.

"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu chimed in, doing the victory sign.

"Thank you Pidgeot, for battling with me. So, do you want to come with me?"

"Pidgeot!" She exclaimed. After that battle, any doubts in her mind were erased. Battling for Ash was fun and rewarding. Not to mention he treated his Pokémon well. She turned around to say goodbye to her flock. The other Pidgeys, Pidgeottos and Pidgeots, recognizing Ash and understanding what was happening, were sad to see her leave but happy she was reunited with her obviously caring trainer. Soon, the flock departed. They could take care of themselves from now.

"So, ready Pidgeot?"

"Pidgeot!"

Ash tapped Pidgeot with another Pokéball. Pidgeot disappeared in a flash of red light. He called her out again, as the capture was complete.

"Welcome back, Pidgeot!" Ash said with a warm smile.

Bulbasaur and Pikachu too were happy to have her back. Ash introduced her to Corphish and Cyndaquil. Scyther was still recovering, so Ash decided to welcome him later.

"Well, now we have to go to Viridian City to catch the ship. THE SHIP! We're late! I don't even know which way to go, and the ship leaves in two hours!" Ash panicked again.

"Pidgeot! Geot! Pidgeot!" Pidgeot flapped her wings and nudged Ash.

"What? You'll carry us? But you're hurt!" Ash protested.

Pidgeot shook her head. The Scyther was strong, but these injuries were minor to a Pokémon with such a vast experience as Pidgeot. Soon, Ash relented, for he didn't have much of a choice. He recalled the rest of his Pokémon and Pikachu hopped onto his shoulder. Soon, they were airborne. Ash enjoyed the feeling of flight. He felt the wind rush inhaled the fresh air. The ground and the forest looked far away, but he knew he was safe on Pidgeot. Pidgeot gradually increased her speed, making sure that her trainer wouldn't fall off. They reached Viridian City faster than Ash could believe.

"Wow, thanks Pidgeot. We still have enough time, so we'll do a quick checkup in the Pokémon centre and then board the ship." Ash told her. He wanted his Pokémon to be in tip top shape before the journey. He recalled Pidgeot, and headed towards the Pokémon centre. Thankfully, he didn't get lost this time. After healing his Pokémon at the Pokémon centre, he boarded the ship. He had a few weeks to get to Sinnoh.

**One week later…**

Ash collapsed onto a lounge chair on the deck of the ship. There was nothing left to do. Literally nothing. In just a week he had defeated every trainer on the ship, twice. Not to mention explored every deck a dozen times over. He was excited at first, watching the water Pokémon and getting to know the people onboard. But there really weren't many people in his age group, and the trainers were mostly newbies with hardly a year of experience. Sure, there were a few exceptions, but only his least experienced Pokémon, Scyther, had any problems with them. Now, the trainers seemed to be avoiding him like a plague. He couldn't blame them, but he wished there was something for him to do. Now he was forced to resign himself to listening to the ever constant slapping of the sea against the hull of the ship.

_Well,_ he thought, glancing over at Pikachu who was equally put out, _at least the weather is nice._

As if on cue, the sky began to darken and the ominous rumble of thunder was heard. The first drops of rain fell on his face, causing Ash to groan. He headed towards his cabin, meeting a few of his fellow passengers along the way.

"It's really strange" A sailor told Ash. "We were supposed to have clear skies and mild wind, but it looks like a thunderstorm formed in the region all of a sudden. If this doesn't clear soon, we'll be forced to dock in some island."

It turned out that the storm had no intention of leaving soon. By evening, the captain decided not to risk it any further.

"Attention passengers. Due to an abrupt and unexplained storm in the Kanto-Sinnoh route, we shall be docking for a day in the island city of Alto Mare. We will dock there in one hour. Passengers are encouraged to explore the island while the storm passes." He announced through the announcement system.

_Well things turned hectic pretty fast._ Thought Ash, sweat dropping. _Wait.. Alto Mare? That's not so bad. I'll get to see Bianca, Lorenzo and maybe even Latias!_ Ash was excited at the prospect of meeting them again. He thanked whatever God that was up there for this chance. Although he was freaked out when he heard a voice in his head.

"_You're welcome, Kid. And on that note, I'm not up there, I'm down. Way down._"

Ash shrugged it off. The boredom must be getting to his head.

**Alto Mare, one day earlier**

_AARGH! This is boring! I wish Latios was here…_ thought a certain red and white eon dragon while flying around the coast. This Pokémon was Latias, a legendary dragon/psychic Pokémon. Latias was alone after Latios, her brother, had left her, saving the city and becoming a Soul Dew in the process. Initially, Latias was overcome with grief. But, she found out she could still communicate with him though telepathy while she was holding the Soul Dew. But she was still relatively alone. Without Latios materially present, she had no one to spend time with. Sure, there was Bianca, and Lorenzo, but they too only had so much free time. She didn't want to bother them unnecessarily.

This line of thought again had her thinking about Latios. Her dear brother would still be with her if those horrible people called Team Rocket hadn't tried to steal the Soul Dew. She wasn't strong enough to fight back, and her relatively stronger brother couldn't stop them either. If it wasn't for Ash, they both would have been captured and Alto Mare would now be under the sea. She was indebted to the trainer, and she missed him too.

_I wish Ash was here _thought Latias. _There's no use thinking about it. Who knows where he is right now._ She thought. She continued to fly above the ocean, occasionally changing speed. She tried to change her gloomy mood and enjoy the flight.

Unknown to her, a passing Legendary Pokémon picked up her thoughts. Latias, being a part Psychic type, unconsciously broadcasted her thought. There was a special link between Legendary Pokémon that enabled them to communicate by telepathy over short distances.

_It seems little Latias is sad. And she wants to see Ash? The brat with the Pikachu? Didn't he set sail to Sinnoh a few days ago? I saw him on a ship. Hmm… now this is something I can help with._ Kyogre, the Pokémon God of sea, thought.

**Alto Mare Docks, Present time**

Ash arrived on the Alto Mare docks. The city was even more beautiful than he remembered it. After looking at nothing but the endless blue of the ocean, Alto Mare was a sight for sore eyes. The boy looked around in excitement at the various sights and scenery. It truly was an Island City. Dividing the city were the canals, and bridges were built connecting the land. The people of Alto Mare still preferred gondola transport, but Ash decided to take it slow and have a refreshing walk. He had a little too much of boats and ships at present, and he'd like to set his foot on land for a while, thank you very much!

As Ash wandered along the crowded city, he couldn't help but recall his past adventures here, the meeting with its legendary guardians, and the encounter with Team Rocket that left a bad taste in his mouth.

_Now where is that place again?_ thought Ash, looking around in dismay. Pikachu sweat-dropped and hung its head. _I knew it. He forgot._ Ash was looking for Bianca's house, and he was _sure _it was around here _somewhere._

It was too much to hope that Ash had gained a sense of direction after travelling for five years. Ash had managed to get them lost plenty of times, and Pikachu was thankful for Brock and Ash's many other travelling companions. Pikachu had a sinking feeling they would still be stuck in Viridian Forest if it wasn't for Pidgeot.

Latias, who was flying nearby, picked up Ash's train of thought. _I know that voice._ thought Latias. _Could it be?_ She looked around, and spotted the cap wearing trainer and his Pikachu. "_YAY! It's him! I can't believe it!_" Latias thought gleefully. Latias went a little overboard with excitement.

_Ouch! Who's screaming in my head?_ thought Ash, picking up the telepathy.

Giggling, Latias swooped down, grabbed Ash (and Pikachu by extension) and flew away faster than anyone could realize what was happening. Ash could see the buildings zooming by below him. Wait… Below?!

"Hey, what's going on? How am I flying?" Ash was panicking now. He was dangling in mid air and steadily accelerating. Yes, Latias was currently invisible.

Pikachu, being a Pokémon of action, immediately shocked the surrounding region, including Ash.

"_Cut it out, Pikachu. That tickles!"_ A feminine voice ringed in Ash and Pikachu's minds.

"Wha? Who? Where?" Ash looked around frantically.

They landed in a deserted alleyway. Ash felt the grip on his shoulder loosen. There was a ripple in front of Ash, and there, standing... er.. floating in front of him was Latias, in all her glory. Ash looked stunned for a second, until he recognized her.

"Latias! It's great to see you again!" Ash immediately recognized the Pokémon in front of him. She was a bit larger than when he'd last seen her, and looked a bit stronger too. Latias too, seemed eager to see them again. She flew in loops around him, occasionally twisting in mid-air, to express her joy. Even if she had matured a bit, meeting Ash again brought out her childish enthusiasm.

"I was just on my way to your place. I was.. uh.. exploring the city." Ash said awkwardly. Pikachu rolled his eyes.

'He got lost' Pikachu told Latias in Pokéspeech. 'Great to see you again'

'Great to see you too, Pikachu!' Latias replied. She then turned to Ash.

"_You have a knack to get yourself lost haven't you._" Spoke Latias telepathically.

"Ah! Wha- You can use telepathy?!" Ash was surprised. He now understood the voice in his head.

"_Yep! I learnt it just recently. Ash, what brings you here?_" Latias asked, calming down a little. They were hidden from view, so no one else could see the city's legendary guardian.

"Well, I was travelling to Sinnoh on a ship, but there's a thunderstorm in the way there. So the ship's docking here for the day." Ash said.

"_Oh, so you're leaving tomorrow?_" Asked Latias in a disappointed tone.

"Yeah, but don't be sad Latias, I'm still here for the day. I'll play with you if you want". Ash remembered his promise to play with her later the last time he was here. Latias cheered up again. She transformed to her human form.

"Let's go!" She said.

"Okay. Wait- Did you just TALK?" Ash was visibly freaked out. Even all his encounters with Meowth hadn't prepared him for this.

"_Bianca taught me a bit. I still can't talk that well though_." Latias admitted.

"That's amazing Latias!" Ash congratulated. Latias smiled and proceeded to drag the cap wearing trainer. Ash followed Latias to Bianca and Lorenzo's house. Bianca opened the door and was surprised to see Ash.

"Ash! Is that you? Come in! Grandpa! Look who dropped by!"

"Hey, Bianca!" Ash greeted.

They entered the house and sat down at the table. Lorenzo too, entered the room.

"Ash! This is a surprise! What brings you here?" Lorenzo asked.

"Well, I was travelling to Sinnoh but there was a sudden change in the weather. The ship is docking here today, so I came round for a visit." Ash explained.

"Sinnoh, eh? Going to compete in the league?" Lorenzo enquired, knowing a trainer's path leads them to travels in lands afar.

"Yep! And I intend to win it too!" Ash said with determination. Pikachu replicated his trainer with a determined nod.

"Good luck then! We know you can do it."

"Yeah! Show them what you're made of, Ash!" Bianca said.

"_Ash, why do you battle in these tournaments?_" asked Latias. She had seen the tournaments in TV before. She didn't really understand why the Pokémon kept battling each other.

"Well, Pokémon battling is a way for trainers to understand their Pokémon well. It's a trainer's job to help a Pokémon to realize their inner potential and to teach them to understand their inner power. The tournaments decide who the best trainer is, and it's my goal to be the very best. I want to be the best trainer- the world's greatest Pokémon Master. That's my dream."

Latias was a bit taken aback by the trainer's words. He just acted a lot more mature than he was when she first saw him. _Realize a Pokémon's inner potential. Hmm... If I were strong enough, the whole mess with Team Rocket would've gone differently. I'd love to travel with Ash on his journey, but I can't leave Alto Mare. I'm it's only Guardian now._ Latias thought sadly.

"_Come on, Ash. Let's go meet my brother._" Latias said suddenly. Bianca and Lorenzo seemed to understand, and they nodded, agreeing with the suggestion.

Ash was a bit confused, but he followed her anyway. She led him to the secret garden and to the Soul Dew. She then transformed to her original form.

"_I can actually speak with him when I hold this. Bianca and Lorenzo can't, I don't know why. Why don't you try?_" Latias asked hopefully. She hoped Ash would, by some miracle, be able to communicate with her brother.

"Uh... Okay." Ash said, unsure of how he would talk to what he considered a lifeless jewel.

Ash held the Soul Dew in his hands. He felt a warm sensation flowing through his body. It was as if something just sort of… connected with him. He couldn't quite explain it, but it was there in his mind.

"_Um.. Hello? Latios?"_ Ash thought awkwardly.

"_Ash? It is you! It's good to talk to you again!_" A male voice sounded in his mind.

"_Wow! It actually worked! Wow, that's cool! But what happened to you? Are you stuck in there or something? I'll help if I can!"_ Ash offered.

Ash heard a chuckle inside his head.

"_No, it doesn't work like that. The Soul Dew is more like a crystallized form of my soul. I think only a capable Psychic or someone who can use Aura can speak with me._" Latios wasn't sure, it was just his theory.

"_Aura? Aura… Where have I heard… Oh, I remember now"!_ Ash thought back to his adventures to the Tree of Beginning, his encounter with Mew and Lucario's sacrifice.

"_So you've manipulated Aura before?"_ Latios sounded genuinely interested. "_And met Mew? Wow, you've sure seen a lot."_ Latios' voice had a tinge of admiration. To think the cap wearing trainer saved the life of Mew! That's more or less like saving the world!

"_How did you know that?"_ Ash asked, er… thought, surprised.

"_You thought back to it, and I could see your memories as well. Anyway, I'm glad you came to visit us. I've wanted to speak to you for some time now, but you know. This form as a rock does not offer much mobility._" Latios joked.

"_Mobi-what?_"

"_Never mind._" Latios said in what was undoubtedly exasperation. "_The thing is, I need to talk to you._"

"_What is it?_" Ash asked curiously.

"_Ever since I became a Soul Dew, my sister hasn't been the same. She feels lonely and Bianca and Lorenzo can't look after her always. So, I want to ask you a favor._" Latios hoped he was doing the right thing. Ash's heart was in the right place, but he seemed to be a magnet for trouble.

"_What is it? What can I do?_" Ash repeated, a bit impatient. He couldn't stand the curiosity.

"_Could you take Latias with you on your journey? As your Pokémon? I know Latias wants to come with you. She needs to see the outside world. You can help her get stronger too. She needs to learn how to protect herself._" Latios said without pausing. He hoped to entrust the trainer with his sibling, something he never dreamed of doing. Then again, he never dreamed of being stuck as a rock for an eternity, either.

Ash felt overwhelmed. "_But Latias is a legendary! It's not safe for her outside. And who will guard the city if she's gone?_"

"_Don't worry, Ash. I know you can protect her. And even if I'm a Soul Dew, I can still call upon other Latios and Latias if the city is in need. Please Ash, can you do this?_" Latios asked. There was no guarantee that Alto Mare was a safe place for Latias.

"_If you and Latias are okay with it, then I'd be happy to have her on my team. She's my friend, and it's a great honor to train a legendary._" Ash replied with conviction.

"_Please take good care of her then. Give the Soul Dew to Latias. I need to speak with her._" Said Latios.

"_Okay. I promise I'll do my best as her trainer._" said Ash. He told Latias that he spoke with Latios and that Latios wanted to speak with her. After Latias conversed with her brother, she turned to Ash.

"_Will you really do it Ash? Will you take me with you?_" Latias asked hopefully. Travelling with Ash was sure to be an interesting and fun experience.

"Well, only if you want to." Ash said with a smile.

Latias jumped with joy and tackled Ash. She was a little sad that she had to leave her brother, Bianca and Lorenzo behind, but her brother had told her he would always be with her in spirit, and she could visit Alto Mare if she wanted anytime. She was one of the fastest Pokémon and can fly faster than a jet plane. So the distance was not an issue to her. Now came the difficult part. She needed to tell Bianca and Lorenzo. So, she transformed to her human form and they left the garden and returned to the house.

"_Bianca, Lorenzo, guess what? Ash can speak to Latios too!_" Latias said in an excited tone.

"Really?" asked Bianca, surprised. "How come we can't speak to him then?"

"Latios said it has something to do with being able to use Psychic abilities or Aura. I've used Aura once before, so he guessed that's why I could speak to him" Ash replied. He didn't understand it completely, but Latios seemed fairly certain after seeing his memory.

"Wow, that's so cool, Ash! So, what did he say?" Bianca asked.

Ash and Latias looked at each other. Latias turned to her friends.

"_Latios said I should travel around instead of staying in the hiding. And I kind of want to travel with Ash too. You guys are great company and all, but Ash can help me become stronger. I don't want what happened back then to repeat._" said Latias telepathically. She really hoped they would understand.

Bianca and Lorenzo were shocked. Bianca was a bit upset as well.

"But it's dangerous out there!" Bianca pleaded. "You could get hurt!"

"_That's part of being a Pokémon, Bianca. And Team Rocket already knows I'm somewhere in this island. I'm really not safe here either. I can't hide here forever. As a Pokémon, I need to learn how to battle as well. Please understand, Bianca._"

"What about the city? Who will guard it in your absence?" asked Lorenzo. Latias looked like she had made up her mind, and, as much as he wanted to, he couldn't chain her here.

"_Latios said he can protect it from within the Soul Dew. He can call for help if needed. I promise I'll come back to visit from time to time. With my speed, that shouldn't be a problem._" Latias said. She looked at Bianca pleadingly, hoping the other would understand.

Bianca and Lorenzo finally relented. As much as they liked spending time with the Eon Dragoness, they wouldn't be able to protect her from real danger, as the Team Rocket incident told them. Latias needed a life as well; she needed to see the world. They knew Ash would take good care of Latias, and perhaps she was safer with him.

"_I'm ready Ash. What should I do?_" Latias asked, turning to Ash.

"Well, if you want to battle me to test my worthiness to be your trainer, you can. If not, you just need to get captured by the Pokéball." Ash replied. He could hardly believe this was happening.

"_I don't want to battle you. You can capture me._" Latias said with a smile.

"Well, I need to talk to Professor Oak first. I already have six Pokémon with me. If I capture you now, you'd be transported to Oak Laboratories back in Pallet. So, I'll just go to the Pokémon centre and be right back." Ash was strangely insightful.

"_I'll come with you. If not, you'll be very late because you 'explored the city'_"

Pikachu snickered. Ash flushed. It wasn't his fault the directions changed randomly while he walked!

"Okay." Ash said, and Latias followed (or led) him to the Pokémon centre. Ash then called the Professor.

"Ash! This is a surprise. Why have you called so soon?"

"Well Professor, I want to catch a new Pokémon. As this species is rare, I don't want to send her straight to the lab. So I was wondering if you could take Scyther for a while. I battled with him in the ship for a bit, so I'll train him later." Ash explained.

"Sure Ash! Out of curiosity, what kind of Pokémon are you going to catch?"

Ash grinned. "Oh, you'll have to wait and see Professor."

"Hmph. Okay. Place the Pokéball. I'm ready at this end." The Professor said grumpily. He didn't like to be kept in suspense.

Ash transferred the Pokéball and said goodbye to the Professor. They returned to the house.

"Are you sure about this Latias? I can't hide that you are my Pokémon forever, and I'll have to use you in battle. With my luck, I'll be running into criminal organization or two. So do you really want to do this?" Ash asked, just to make sure.

"_Yes Ash. I know what I'm getting myself into. I'm ready_" said Latias, determined.

Ash took out a Pokéball and gently tapped Latias with it. She was sucked into the ball. Once the ball signified capture, Ash called her out again.

"_That was different._" said Latias. "_It was a bit stuffy in there, so can I stay outside?_"

"Sure, but you'll have to be either invisible or disguise yourself. I suggest being invisible for now, because if you disguise yourself as Bianca, the ship won't let you in because you don't have a ticket." Ash replied. Pikachu wondered how Ash figured that out. Ash was finally starting to use his head, maybe?

"_Okay. When I'm disguised as Bianca, what will you call me?_"

Ash was surprised by her perceptiveness. He considered for a while. It would have to be something he could remember easily.

"Good question, Latias. Hm... How about Lita?"

"_Nice name, I like it._" Latias said. She's like whatever Ash called her, but still.

"Ash, you better take good care of her, or else!" said Bianca, taking the role of an overprotective older sister.

Ash gulped. "Okay Bianca, sure thing." A scary overprotective older sister.

'Welcome to the team, Latias' said Pikachu, in Pokéspeech

'Thank you, Pikachu!' replied Latias.

Ash soon introduced Latias to the rest of the Pokémon. They were slightly awestruck at the sight of the legendary. After introductions, Ash stayed in the house for the night.

**Meanwhile, at Oak Laboratories**

"Trainer Ash Ketchum has caught a new Pokémon" said a mechanical voice.

_Finally, I can see what king of a Pokémon Ash caught_ thought the Professor excitedly. He checked the database and was awestruck and saucer-eyed by what he found.

"Tracy!" The Professor shouted to his assistant.

"Yes, Professor?" The dutiful Tracy immediately appeared nearby. He glanced at the monitor and exclaimed. "Goodness, is that a Latias? I've never seen such a clear picture of this Pokémon before! Where did you get it?" He asked excitedly.

"So, I'm not seeing things. Glad to know I'm still sane. Wake me up in one hour." The Professor said.

"Wha-?" Tracy was confused. Before he could ask the Professor what he meant, he heard a ***thump*** behind him. Tracy unlatched his eyes from the monitor, and saw that the veteran Professor had fainted. Tracy panicked, and wondered what could have caused such a reaction. He looked at the monitor again, and this time he saw what else was written on it.

***THUMP***

**The next morning, Alto Mare**

By the following morning, the storm had cleared, and Ash was ready to set off. Bianca and Lorenzo followed Ash and 'Lita' to the port.

"Bye Lorenzo, Bianca! I promise I'll take good care of Latias." Ash reassured. After a tearful farewell between Bianca and Latias, Ash and Latias (who was now invisible) boarded the ship. Onboard the ship, Ash called his Corphish and Pidgeot.

"Alright Corphish, Pidgeot, we'll be doing some stamina training on the rest of the way to Sinnoh. Corphish, I want you to follow the ship by swimming in the ocean, and Pidgeot, the same while flying. Don't worry; I'll be watching you from the deck. Tell me when you get tired." He turned to Latias. "I know you haven't done anything this strenuous before, but it'll improve your stamina. Think you can handle this exercise?"

"_Are you kidding me? I'm practically one of the fastest flying types in the world. It'll take a lot more than that to tire me out._" Latias bragged.

'Really?' said Pidgeot in a taunting tone. 'I bet I'm faster than you, legendary on not.'

'A race? You're on, sister!' Latias said with a challenging grin.

Ash didn't understand his Pokémon that well, so he just thought they were pumped up. Soon, Corphish was swimming the vast ocean while Pidgeot and Latias (who was still invisible) followed through the air. The exercise was truly testing for Pidgeot and Latias, both having never travelled such a long distance before. Latias wasn't as tired, as it was her Psychic abilities that helped her fly.

As the days progressed, Corphish and Pidgeot improved their stamina considerably. They occasionally took breaks, and they could now travel longer distances. As this task was not too challenging for Latias, she didn't feel too benefited from it, but she loved to fly anyway. Soon, they could feel the change in the climate as it got slightly colder. Corphish caught sight of much new sea Pokémon while Pidgeot and Latias saw many flying types. They were nearing Sinnoh. They were excited, but not nearly as much as their trainer. He looked at the direction of Sinnoh and thought determinedly

_I'm gonna win this one._

**Post A/N**: So, how was it? Good? Bad? I'm not making Ash invincible. He will get strong eventually, and there may be a few failures on the road to success.

There may be elements in this story that had been previously used in other stories, and I do not claim originality. However, I'll be twisting and tweaking the Sinnoh plot, and make it more enjoyable. But there may not be a chapter for each episode of the saga. That task is beyond me. I'll be focusing on key plot points and try not to make this too rushed.

Thank you, Shaydrall, for your excellent job as beta!

Once again, read and review to point out any mistakes.

-Analon


	3. Greeting the Sinnoh Dawn!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. The characters and other elements of this story are the copyrighted property of Pokémon or its affiliates and licensors. This fan fiction is purely for enjoyment and no desire of profit comes out of it. **

**Chapter 3**

**Greeting the Sinnoh Dawn!**

After a long cruise, Ash finally arrived in the Sinnoh region. He was amazed by the different Pokémon he'd seen so far. From what he'd seen, Sinnoh has a wide variety of Pokémon, most of which he hadn't seen in any other regions. As for Lita, practically everything was new to her. She had never been to human settlements other than Alto Mare before. Sure, Alto Mare was beautiful, but after about fifteen years of the same sights and sounds, things got a little dull. Thus Lita was enjoying the change in scenery far more than Ash. She even dragged Ash to a few shops, if only to just see the merchandise. It seemed even female _Pokémon _has a thing for shopping. Thankfully for Ash's wallet, Lita didn't buy anything. She was just content to see this new world.

They left the dock to find the nearest Phone. Ash told Lita to wait as he called the Professor to let him know he was in Sinnoh. The phone barely ringed once before the Professor picked it up.

"Ash! Finally! What took you so long? Do you know how long I've been waiting?" an impatient Professor appeared on the screen. He looked like he needed some sleep. Dark rings had formed around his eyes.

Confused at what the Professor was so impatient about, Ash asked "For what, Professor?"

"Don't act like nothing happened, you caught a legendary!" Professor Oak's face lit up with childish excitement even at the mention of the fact.

"Oh, that." Ash grinned sheepishly.

"Do you know what a big deal this is? Only a few trainers have seen, let alone caught one. So could you please send Latias over to the lab? I'll send her back as soon as I record some data. I can update the Pokédex that way." Professor Oak requested in a pleading tone.

"Sorry Professor, I trust you, but Latias is a bit shy. You can record the data later." Lita was more of a friend than his Pokémon. He didn't want to send her away so soon.

"Can I at least see her?" the Professor insisted.

"Sure. The next time you see me in person." Ash grinned.

"But I... Oh well, it was worth a try, I suppose. So, how do you plan on including her in the team?"

"What do you mean, Professor?"

"Having a legendary is a big thing Ash; you shouldn't publicize it or use her in battle till you're fully confident in her abilities. She'll need to be defended from notorious criminals. There are reports of a notorious Pokémon hunter operating in Sinnoh. You should be cautious."

"I know Professor." Ash said seriously. There was Team Rocket chasing him for about four years, and a few other poachers he knew form experience.

"So as I was saying, what will you do in a six-on-six battle until you can train Latias to be ready for anything?"

"Er... I hadn't really thought about that."

Professor Oak became serious. "Fortunately, I have a solution. I am licensed to increase the number of Pokémon you can carry with you. But you are bound to follow league rules in tournaments. When you compete in a tournament, you should return your excess Pokémon to me. So do you want to increase the limit?"

"Yes Professor. Thank you."

"You're welcome Ash. For now, I can increase the limit by two. In a few more months, if you can handle this responsibly, I can further increase the limit. Now, place your Pokédex in the slot provided in the phone."

Ash did what he was asked. Soon, the machine gave a beep sound and the modification was complete.

"Thank you for the upgrade Professor." Ash said earnestly. He was thankful he had a very helpful Professor like Oak.

"You're welcome Ash. I've also added the Sinnoh Pokémon to the Pokédex. I forgot to do so when you were here. I also recommend meeting my associate, Professor Rowan in Sandgem town. He'll be sure to give you advice on how to proceed." The Professor told him.

"Okay, Professor. I'll be sure to go meet him. See you later!"

Ash hung up the phone and turned around to find Lita waiting for him. She was still looking around, slightly awestruck and a bit nervous. It was understandable, since this was an unfamiliar region.

"_Why was that weird man so interested in me?_" she asked using telepathy. Apparently, she had listened in to the conversation as well. Not that Ash minded.

"_Well, you're a legendary Pokémon. He's just curious to see you. He's a nice guy. In fact, he's the one who gave me Pikachu._" Ash replied in his mind. During their voyage, Latias had told him that he needn't reply to telepathy aloud, he just needed to think his reply. Ash was thankful, because it would look pretty weird conducting a one sided conversation. Latias couldn't speak human tongue that well, and telepathy was a lot easier.

"_He gave you Pikachu?_" asked Latias curiously.

Ash was about to reply when a gloved hand wrapped around Pikachu. Startled, Ash looked up to see a very familiar Meowth shaped balloon and three nasty crooks.

"Not those three again!" Ash groaned. This. Was. The. Fifth. Year! Don't they know when to give up?

"Prepare for trouble with a capital T" a feminine voice shouted.

"Make it double or better, times three!" Said a male voice.

"An evil as old as the gala-"

Jessie was rudely interrupted between the motto when the extendable gloved hand holding Pikachu broke to pieces and Pikachu landed safely in the ground.

"Hey! What happened?" demanded Jessie.

Ash looked at Lita, who was smirking. _Payback, Team Rocket!_ She thought. She recognized their uniform and understood their motive when the hand grabbed Pikachu. She took action immediately and used Psychic to destroy the hand. Thankfully, Team Rocket didn't pay much attention to the Ash's new travelling companion.

"Not you three again!" shouted Ash. "Won't I ever lose you?"

"Not on your life, twerp. I don't know how Pikachu managed to escape, but hand him over and save us both the trouble." said Meowth.

"I can think of another way to save us the trouble!" Ash said. He unclipped a Pokéball from his belt and hurled it towards the balloon. "Go, Pidgeot!"

The bird Pokémon materialized mid-air, immediately flapping her wings to stabilize herself. Team Rocket, who were in the process of wearing anti electric gear, looked down and blinked.

"Uh Oh. When did the twerp get back his Pidgeot?" asked Jessie, suddenly nervous.

"I knew we should have followed him right from Pallet! But Meowth said it was better to go ahead in the balloon and prepare a surprise for him here. Not only did we get caught in the storm, we didn't know about his other Pokémon either! This is your entire fault Meowth!"

"My fault? Why I oughta!" The scratch cat Pokémon lengthened his claws.

Pidgeot, hearing the bickering, looked up. Seeing the balloon, she groaned. _Haven't these three given up yet? Oh well, here goes._

"Pidgeot, destroy that balloon, but don't let them escape!" Ash instructed. He needed a permanent solution. Dealing with Team Rocket would waste a large amount of his time.

"Wait, hold on-" began Jessie. Too late, however, as Pidgeot disappeared from view in a steak of light and reappeared behind it. The balloon exploded, but instead of blasting off, Pidgeot caught them and tossed them in a heap in front of Ash. Ash quickly chose his Bulbasaur.

"Bulbasaur, use vine whip to tie them up!"

"Wait, what are you-" began James. He was interrupted by vines wrapping around them.

"We haven't even battled yet!" shouted Jessie, enraged.

"Why fight a losing battle?" replied Ash, smirking. "This is the last time I'll be seeing you, so goodbye Team Rocket!"

"Wait, aren't you gonna blast us off?" James asked, feeling very nervous. This wasn't the usual routine!

"You guys never learn! I've had it with you! I'm sorry guys, but you're gonna be arrested." Ash said with finality.

The crooks began to sweat bullets. Ash called to the nearby crowd (they had attracted some spectators) and said "Guys, these are Pokémon crooks from Kanto called Team Rocket. They've been trying to steal my Pikachu for ages now. Can someone call the police? I want to turn them in."

Someone in the crowd nodded and left the scene. Some congratulated Ash on a job well done. Ash felt a little bad, they had a little good deep down. Deep, deep, down. But they cause too much trouble to too many people.

Soon, Officer Jenny arrived and took them into custody. She thanked Ash, who had a few formalities to get out of the way.

"You can't do this to us! After all we've been through!" shouted Jessie. _Need she remind him that?_ thought James, hanging his head.

"All we've been through? Oh yeah officer, I almost forgot. In addition to what happened now, they are responsible for more than a hundred attempts to steal Pokémon. They have even attacked gyms, contests and the Pokémon league competitions. You'll find their criminal records with the Kanto, Johto and Hoenn police." Ash said. If they were to change, they'll need some time- a lot of time – to think, and what better place than jail?

"Well then, thank you young man. We'll be sure to put those charges in the court. You won't be seeing them for a long time." said the Officer. Soon, the thieves were taken to the Police station. Ash and Pikachu breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm glad I've finally gotten them handled. I feel a little bad, but they won't give up." Said Ash.

"Pika pika" agreed Pikachu.

"_At least we won't have to worry about Team Rocket finding out about me anytime soon._" Said Latias. Ash nodded. That was another reason. If they ever reported this to their boss, Team Rocket would send someone more dangerous. He couldn't risk that. He had thought of how he could keep Latias safe in the ship. He was worried about her safety. He had seen a lot of criminals and was likely to see more.

They continued on their way to Sandgem town. By noon, they reached the facility. It was much like Oak Laboratories, albeit smaller. This was also the place where trainers who start out in this area got their Pokémon from. After a bit of walking, they reached the facility and knocked. They were greeted by an assistant, who took them to the Sinnoh Researcher.

"Ah, you must be Ash Ketchum. Professor Oak told me a lot about you. And who's this young lady with you?" Rowan asked. Professor Oak had only mentioned one visitor.

"I'm Lita, sir." Replied Latias.

"Are you a trainer too? I can register you for the Sinnoh League if you want." Rowan asked. Today was the day for trainers to get their starters, after all. But he didn't remember seeing the name Lita anywhere.

"No, thank you sir. I just like to travel". _I'm more like a trainee._ Added Latias mentally.

"Well, if you're sure." Rowan said slowly. What kind of kid didn't want to be a trainer?

He then turned to Ash, who was taking a look at the research facility. "Give me your Pokédex, Ash. I need it to register you here in Sinnoh and qualify you for the tournament." The Professor said. Apparently, Professor Oak had told his colleague the reason Ash was here.

"Sure thing, sir. Here it is" said Ash. He was now sure that Professor Oak had respected his privacy and kept silent about Latias to his colleagues.

Professor Rowan registered him and returned the Pokédex. "I've uploaded the map of Sinnoh to the Pokédex as well. Since neither of you are from Sinnoh, nor do you have a guide, you'll need it. A young lady named Dawn started her journey earlier today. She's native to this area. If you meet her, it would do you both well to travel together. She can be your guide, while you can help her with the ropes." Rowan told them. It would also benefit the daughter of Johanna, as beginning trainers tended to make a lot of mistakes.

"Thank you, sir. I'll keep that in mind." Ash replied, pocketing the Pokédex.

Ash and Lita explored the facility and saw some of the native Pokémon. The Professor showed them some Pokémon who would eventually be the starters for trainers. Soon, they bode farewell to Professor Rowan and departed. Lita insisted on reading the map, telling Ash she didn't want to get lost. They managed to find the correct route to take in record time, making Ash feel a bit depressed.

_A Pokémon is better at directions than I am. _Ash thought, feeling a bit upset.

"Cheer up, Ash! We all have something we're good at!" Lita told her trainer. They followed the route, with Ash occasionally checking a new Pokémon in his Pokédex.

The route was not a busy one, so Ash and Lita were surprised to hear the horn of a truck at a distance. The truck slowed down as it neared and stopped beside them. A figure jumped out of the truck. He wore a gray and orange vest, light grey pants and blue shoes. He carried a large blue backpack. Ash registered his identity a second later, for it was none other than Brock.

"Hello Ash. You reached Sinnoh I see." Brock said casually.

"Brock! What are you doing here? Not that I'm not happy to see you or anything, but I thought you were back in the gym." Ash was genuinely surprised to see his old friend.

Brock smirked, and introduced Ash to the truck driver, who was –surprise, surprise- a female."Well Ash, I want you to meet Claudina. Claudina, meet Ash, my longtime friend. I was headed to Sinnoh and she gave me a lift. We hit off from there." Brock was in heaven. For the first time in years, no Misty, no Max, absolutely nothing to stop him from his destiny!

"It's been great seeing you, pal. And best of luck in everything you do-"

Claudina's cell phone suddenly beeped, and Claudina answered it. Ash and Brock waited patiently as Claudina spoke to the person at the other end. Being able to hear Claudina, Brock felt a feeling of dread. _Honey!?_ His fears were confirmed when she hung up and turned to them.

"I'm sorry for the interruption, Brock. But that was my boyfriend on the line and I'm gonna have to keep an appointment with him, ya see!" Claudina said cheerfully.

"Huh?" Brock asked blankly.

She winked. "But I know you'll all be fine. After all, you've got your bud! Why don't the two of you catch up?" She started the truck and waved at the disbelieving breeder. "See ya later Brock, and thank you so much for the great lunch and dinner! Wish you lots of luck on your journey!" With that, she drove away.

"But I don't want luck. I want you…" Brock said, crushed. That's when Brock noticed who Ash was travelling with. Lita had an almost sympathetic expression on her face. _Almost_.

"Bianca! Is that you?" Brock asked, surprised. Trust Brock to remember the name of every girl he ever met, no matter where.

Latias giggled. She remembered Brock, so knew she could trust him.

"_Not quite, Brock!_" spoke Latias using telepathy. Brock looked startled, frowned for a second, tilted his head and finally, _finally_ realization dawned on him. Brock's jaw hit the floor and he pointed a shaky finger at Lita.

"L-Latias! How? When? What? Where?" Obviously, Brock wasn't expecting to meet the Legendary Pokémon casually walking along the road.

"Calm down Brock." Ash sweat dropped. "She's travelling with me, she's my Pokémon now."

Brock was stunned again. "Wow, you have a legendary! That's… a lot of responsibility. So, how did this happen?" Brock took it a lot better than Professor Oak. After all, he too had seen some crazy, _crazy_ things.

"Believe me Brock, I know." He then proceeded to tell Brock the whole story. Once Ash was done explaining, Brock was impressed to say the least. He thought Ash would have left his old Pokémon behind, but he seems to have recognized his responsibility to them. Now he even had a Legendary. Most notably, no Team Rocket. Brock felt like hugging Ash in relief.

"So, I was wondering if I can travel with you again. I need more field experience and Sinnoh has a lot of new Pokémon I can study." Brock explained.

"Of course, Brock! I need you." Ash was indeed glad to have his old friend back. Ash would be lost without him. Literally.

Brock smiled. It sure was nice to be back with his friend again. They continued on the path while Brock caught up with Lita. They kept coming across several Pokémon, and Ash began to learn about the Sinnoh Pokémon. After checking out a bunch of Starly in his Pokédex, he decided to catch one. He had told Brock about the extra Pokémon he can handle now. More work for the breeder, but he was happy to help. Travelling with Ash offered him a lot of practice. Now he had to find some Dragon type food. Lita can eat human food, but occasionally Pokémon food was needed, as Pokémon needed different nutrition from humans.

Ash decided to battle with his starter for his first Sinnoh catch. Pikachu jumped and readied himself for battle, cheeks sparking.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on that Starly!" instructed Ash. Pikachu complied, and Starly was down for the count. Sometimes, it was easy to forget how strong Pikachu was.

"_Won't you be using me for battles, Ash?_" asked Latias.

"I will, but first I want to train you some. I know you'll be able to beat most of the trainers, so I won't be using you against them that often. I want to keep you a secret for as long as possible." Ash said aloud for Brock's benefit, as he could hear Latias' telepathy (if she wanted him to) but not his thoughts.

"_I understand. Hey, what's that?_" Latias pointed to a distance, where a thunderbolt was seen.

"It might be a native electric Pokémon. Let's go see." Ash was as excited as always at the thought of seeing a new Pokémon. He raced ahead with Pikachu, leaving Brock and Lita in the dust. Brock shook his head with an amused smile. "Ash will be Ash. Let's hurry before he gets lost." He said jokingly.

They reached the spot where they saw the attack, and came across a purple haired trainer who was in the process of releasing a Starly.

"Hey! Why did you release that Starly?" Ash asked angrily. He saw the blue light signifying the release.

"It's none of your concern. If you must know, that Pokémon was weak. I need a Starly that knows Aerial Ace. I caught three, and one of them knew it. So the others are out." The purple haired trainer told them. He had a scowl on his face that looked like it was permanent.

"That's cruel! You injure a Pokémon, capture them and take away their freedom, then release them because they're weak? Don't you know that released Pokémon are not accepted back to their flocks?" Ash asked. This was true, the Professor had once told him. Wild Pokémon had an inherent prejudice against a Pokémon belonging to or those that once belonged to humans.

"So? I don't care what happens to them. It's their fault that they're weak."

"That's what trainers are for! We are the ones who teach Pokémon to fully realize their potential, as their friend and guide." Ash said with conviction.

"Friend and guide? You're pathetic. Befriending Pokémon only spoils them. It's obvious you're a weak trainer if you defend weak Pokémon." The trainer said harshly.

Ash grit his teeth. "Oh really? Well then, I challenge you to a battle. I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet town, by the way."

"You'll only lose and hurt your precious Pokémon more. I'm Paul from Veilstone city and I accept your challenge. Let's make it a three on three elimination. It'll be decisive that way." Paul said. Ash nodded in agreement.

"I'll referee if you don't mind" said Brock. He walked in between the makeshift arena, while Lita and Pikachu sat down under a tree. Ash told Pikachu to sit this one out.

"_Pikachu, why is he abandoning his Pokémon like that?" _Lita asked the yellow rodent worriedly. This trainer was far different from Ash. The thought of leaving an injured Pokémon didn't sit well with her at all. She would've helped those Starly if they could, but they flew away, despite their injuries.

'Some trainers are like that, Latias.' Pikachu replied. 'They don't care what happens to the Pokémon, they only want to win.'

"_That's terrible! How could they do that?_" Lita asked. She hadn't bet many trainers other than Ash and his friends before, so her concern was understandable.

'They're just selfish.' Pikachu replied. 'Don't worry; they're a minority, thankfully.'

They soon focused on the match that was about to take place.

"This is a three on three Pokémon battle between Ash Ketchum of Pallet town and Paul of Veilstone city. There is no time limit and the match will be over when either trainer has no Pokémon fit to continue. Begin!" said Brock.

"Starly, get ready for battle" ordered Paul.

"Go, Starly!" said Ash. He released his own Sinnoh flying type.

"Starly, use Quick attack to get close and then Steel wing." Commanded Paul.

"Dodge it quick!" said Ash. Unfortunately, Starly wasn't fast enough and was hit by the attack.

"Use Peck attack!" commanded Ash.

"Use Aerial Ace now."

Ash's Starly wasn't fast enough to hit the opposing one. The Aerial Ace hit Ash's Starly square in the chest. Still tired from its battle with Pikachu, Starly fainted.

"Ash's Starly is unable to battle. This match goes to Paul."

"Just as I thought. Weak trainer with weak Pokémon." Paul said with a condescending smirk.

"A battle doesn't win the match Paul; you have no right to judge my methods by defeating a Pokémon I caught two minutes ago. My next Pokémon won't be so easy to beat. In fact, I'd be surprised if you beat her at all! Go, Pidgeot!" Ash replied with confidence. He had hoped for Starly to gain some battle experience, but it seems he'll need to train him some more before that. He also underestimated the extent of damage Pikachu's Thunderbolt had done.

Pidgeot appeared in a flash of light. Paul was taken aback by the Pokémon. He had seen Pidgeot before, and knew this one was strong just by looking at it. It was bigger than any Pidgeot he's seen in Kanto. Paul now understood that he'd have to give it his all in this battle if he wanted to win.

"Starly, use Quick attack."

"Pidgeot, show him a real Quick attack."

Starly had just begun to execute Paul's attack when it was rammed by Ash's Pidgeot. The momentum sent it flying and it crashed into a nearby bush. Starly fainted with just that attack.

"You're Pathetic. Return!" said Paul. But you could see him sweating. Pidgeot reacted faster than he could believe. He had only seen such response time in elite level battles. Paul realized he wasn't battling just some upstart kid, but an experienced trainer.

"Elekid, get ready." Paul chose his second Pokémon. Now Ash and the others knew where the electric attack came from.

"_So each trainer chooses another Pokémon when one of them is unable to continue?_" Lita asked.

'Each battle has different rules. This is more common, but in some cases it'll be three separate one on one battles. The biggest is the six on six, where each trainer uses six Pokémon.' Pikachu explained.

"Pidgeot, show him how strong you are!" Pidgeot narrowed her eyes at the purple haired trainer. She had seen him behaving rudely to Starly. She was determined not to be defeated by this trainer.

"Pidgeot, use Quick Attack!"

"Elekid, Thunder!"

"Change course and attack from behind!" Ash said suddenly.

"What?" shouted Paul.

As the Thunder attack arched towards her, Pidgeot moved around the attack, still using Quick attack. In an impressive display of maneuverability, Elekid missed and Pidgeot hit him from behind. Elekid was sent stumbling forward.

"Turn around and use Thunder Punch!" Paul tried to take advantage of Pidgeot's closeness.

"Grab its hand and use Peck attack!" Ash ordered.

Pidgeot grabbed the hand before Elekid charged the attack and pecked it multiple times. While Elekid regained its bearing, Pidgeot flew up out of its reach. This was something that came to her naturally due to her vast experience. Move away before any counterattacks.

"Use Sand attack!" Ash instructed.

Pidgeot flapped its wings and a sandstorm formed. Paul lost his visibility of his Pokémon. The same was the case with Ash, but he trusted in his Pokémon. Elekid was being damaged by the sandstorm.

"Pidgeot, show them what an Aerial Ace can really do!"

_What? But how can he see in this storm?_ thought Paul.

Little did he know, Ash didn't need to see. He trusted on the instincts of his Pokémon. Thankfully, Pidgeot was a species with keen eyesight. She saw Elekid who was emitting sparks due to the sandstorm. She quickly performed the Aerial Ace. Elekid was sent crashing to a tree, and the sandstorm receded.

"Elekid, get up! Show me you're not weak!" Paul ordered.

Elekid got up, although he was on his last legs. He didn't want to be abandoned like the others. Struggling, he got ready for combat.

_I'll have to rely on long range attacks again_ thought Paul. "Use Thunder!"

"Pidgeot, Double team!"

"Sweep through the illusions with Thunder!" Paul employed the common strategy used against a Double team.

Elekid did as he was told. To Paul's great surprise, there were no Pidgeot left after the attack.

_Huh? Where did it go?_ thought Paul, confused.

"Finish this with Quick attack followed by Steel wing!" Ash said triumphantly.

Paul realized that Pidgeot was obstructing the sun and hence he did not see her. _Very clever. As I cannot look directly near the sun, Pidgeot stayed there. Due to the sun's angle, the shadow would fall in the forest._

"Use Protect!" Paul reacted immediately.

"Feint attack to get by that shield!" Unfortunately for Paul, Ash was a quick thinker too.

Protect did not help Elekid. Pidgeot nailed the Steel wing. This proved too much for Elekid and he was knocked out.

"Elekid is unable to battle! Pidgeot wins!" Brock declared.

"_Wow." _Lita said, wide eyed. "_That's some strategy. Pidgeot's strong._"

'Ash knows his stuff when it comes to battling. He'll give some crazy commands, but he knows what he's doing. Elekid didn't have a chance against Pidgeot in the first place.' Pikachu replied.

"You've disappointed me. Repeat this and you're out." Said Paul. Ash was a little annoyed. It seemed it'll take more than this battle to convince him.

Paul realized his Pokémon had failed to land a hit on Pidgeot. _What kind of a trainer is this? He's not elite level, but someone this good should have to be pretty famous. I'll have to find out more about him. For now, I have to use my best if I have to win. Torterra is at a disadvantage, but he has one attack that's sure to damage Pidgeot._

"Torterra, stand by for battle!" Paul ordered, bringing out his starter.

Curious, Ash checked out the Pokémon in his Pokédex.

"Torterra, the continent Pokémon. Torterra is the final evolved form of Turtwig. Sometimes small Pokémon will gather to make their nests on Torterra's back."

_So this is the final evolved form of that little guy I saw back at Professor Rowan's lab? He looks strong. This must be Paul's starter. Even though he is at a disadvantage, Paul looks confident. I'll have to be careful._ Ash thought.

Pidgeot was a little exhausted. It had been a while since she was in a real battle. She loved every second of it, though. She indicated that she wanted to continue. So Ash chose to continue with Pidgeot.

"Let the final battle begin!"

"Torterra, be careful. Pidgeot's fast. Use Razor Leaf attack!"

"Use Whirlwind to blow those leaves away! Then use Aerial Ace!"

Paul didn't make a command. Torterra flinched from the super effective attack. As soon as the Aerial Ace hit, Paul ordered.

"Use Stone Edge!"

"Pidgeot, get out of there quick!" Ash shouted, slightly panicking.

Pidgeot couldn't move completely out of harm's way. She was barraged by the stone projectiles. She flapped her wings and got to a safe distance. She was injured and tired, but it would take a lot more than this for her to be down for the count.

"Pidgeot, use Sand Attack!"

Paul lost his visibility again. _Not this again! I won't fall for it twice!_

"Use Leaf storm!"

In an impressive display of power, the flurry of leaves disturbed the air current that formed the Sandstorm. The sandstorm subsided and Paul smirked victoriously. That was until he saw that Pidgeot had disappeared. Again.

Paul slapped himself. _Not again. Where is it now?_ He began to look around. Suddenly, he remembered.

"Torterra, it's near the sun! Wait! Don't look!"

Too late, Torterra looked at the sun and was temporarily blinded. This was Ash's cue, and he ordered.

"Combine Quick Attack and Peck!"

Pidgeot complied. The attack hit and Torterra flinched again.

"Stone edge!"

Torterra used Stone Edge, but its vision was still a bit hazy.

"Too late!" said Ash, smirking. Sure enough, Pidgeot was at a safe distance. Paul scowled.

"Use Leaf Storm!"

"Fly around to dodge it!"

Pidgeot flew around, but most of the leaves still hit. She was quickly running out of stamina.

"Use Double Edge!" ordered Ash.

The attack hit. Torterra was injured again.

"Quick, use Giga drain!" Paul decided to take advantage of the Pidgeot's proximity.

Vines wrapped itself around Pidgeot and began to drain her energy. She screeched in pain.

"Don't lose heart Pidgeot! Use Peck attack till you're released!"

Pidgeot began pecking while losing energy. Since the flying type move was more effective, Paul quickly decided it was not worth it.

"Release Pidgeot and use Razor leaf!"

The Razor leaf hit Pidgeot and she looked exhausted. Ash knew Pidgeot couldn't keep this up much longer. His next attack should count.

"Use Aerial Ace!"

"Stone Edge!"

Pidgeot accelerated, gaining momentum and adjusting her body to increase her speed. With all its might, the Aerial Ace hit the mark. But Pidgeot was hit by multiple sharp stone shards as well. Both Pokémon reached their limit. After a final nod of acknowledgement, both collapsed.

"Both Pokémon are unable to battle. Since Paul is out of usable Pokémon, this match goes to Ash Ketchum of Pallet town!" concluded Brock.

"Excellent job, Pidgeot! You deserve a nice, long rest." Ash complemented. This was the first time in a long time he had swept a battle. He knew it was all thanks to Pidgeot's determination.

"Hmph. It seems my Pokémon are determined to disappoint me today. Return, Torterra,"

Paul took out Starly's Pokéball. "You're a waste of my time. Back to the wild you go." He prepared to release it. Seeing this, Ash quickly intervened.

"Wait, Paul. Release that Starly and you'll regret it in the future."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"You know that Pidgeot that took out your team?"

Paul grumbled under his breath. "What has that got to do with anything?"

"Well, I caught her as a Pidgeotto. She was relatively weak back then. I was a trainer just starting out and Pidgeotto was the second Pokémon I ever caught. We trained together and our bonds grew stronger. You saw the result today." Ash hoped Paul would understand.

Paul considered. "Alright. I'll give it another chance. Thank you for the battle." Paul gave a curt nod and left. He knew it was a little unfair to release Starly due to the loss with Pidgeot, but he was frustrated and angry. Might as well give the flying type another chance.

"_Wow, what's up with him?_" asked Latias.

"Some trainers are like that Latias. Believe me, I've met worse." Ash said, remembering Damien.

Ash and friends continued down the road. After about an hour of walking, they heard a feminine voice shout.

"Ahh! Piplup, are you okay?"

Ash, Brock and Lita rushed to that direction and found a blue haired girl wearing a white beret holding a penguin like Pokémon. The Pokémon seemed to be frozen solid. Ash recognized the Pokémon as Piplup, the water type starter of Sinnoh.

"Hey, what's the matter?" asked Ash. Brock sweat dropped. He would have thought that was obvious, considering the Piplup was frozen solid.

The girl turned around and spotted the trio. "Can you help me?" she asked. "My Piplup's frozen by an Ice beam!" She looked worried, but at the same time, relieved that she had found some potential help.

"Sure. Go, Cyndaquil! Use the flames on your back to melt the ice and free Piplup!" Ash had his experience when it came to frozen Pokémon. It was better for the health of the Pokémon if the ice wasn't melted with an intense Flame Thrower attack.

"Cyndaa Quilll!" Cyndaquil fired up his mini-blast furnace and stayed near Piplup. The ice began to melt, but Piplup seemed to have lost consciousness. Brock checked Piplup and wrapped him up with warm cloths. The girl looked relieved and thanked them profusely.

"Thank you for your help! I'm Dawn from Twinleaf town by the way!"

"Hi, I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet town in Kanto. These are my friends Brock and Lita."

"Hi! I'm from Pewter City in Kanto, by the way." Brock added. "You'll need to have Nurse Joy take a look at Piplup. Then he'll make a full recovery. As it happens, we're headed to the Pokémon Centre well. We're a bit new to Sinnoh, so can you lead us there if it isn't too much of a bother?"

"Sure Brock! It's the least I could do! Follow me!" Dawn said. They began to walk towards the Pokémon centre. Dawn soon started to talk with Lita, and the eon answered as best as she could. With Ash and Brock, she could speak with telepathy. But Dawn didn't know that she wasn't human, so she had to try hard to keep up a continuous conversation. It helped that Dawn usually did all the talking. Lita added bits whenever she could. _On the bright side, at least I'll learn how to talk well._ Latias thought. Dawn just assumed Lita was shy by nature.

"So Dawn, what's your goal? What do you want to do as a trainer? I want to be a Pokémon Master." Ash asked after a while.

"And I aim to be a world class breeder." Brock supplied.

"I want to be a top Coordinator just like my mom!" Dawn exclaimed.

"Your mother is a coordinator?" Ash asked, interested.

"Yeah, but she's retired now. She used to be quite good, and I want to be just like her!" Dawn said with determination.

"Looks like your mother's your role model, huh?" Brock asked.

"Yup! And there's no one better!" Dawn said with confidence.

"Umm… sorry, but what's a coordinator?" Lita asked, confused. She hadn't heard of that before.

Dawn looked a little incredulous. "I guess contests aren't that popular outside Sinnoh and Hoenn. Coordinators are trainers who focus on bringing out and showing off the beauty of the Pokémon and their moves. They compete in contests, and contest has two stages. In the first stage, coordinators get judged on how good or elegant the performance was. Then next stage is usually a performance battle with a five minute time limit…."

Dawn continued to explain contests and the grand festival. This was new information to Latias, who had only seen some Pokémon battles before. Soon, they arrived at a wayside Pokémon centre. After Brock's usual antics, which ended in him being lifted slightly off the ground and dragged away, a grinning Lita and a confused Dawn, they had their Pokémon healed and decided to rest there for the night.

Meanwhile, Paul too arrived at the Pokémon centre. He healed his Pokémon as well, but that wasn't his main concern. He went over to the computer and looked up the trainer's database of the Pokémon league.

_Let's see. Ash Ketchum of Pallet town. Competed in the Indigo league and secured a place in top sixteen. Champion of the Orange league? Top eight in Johto and Hoenn. Recent achievements.._ he froze. He reread it again.

_Defeated Pyramid King Brandon and completed the Kanto battle frontier. One of the only trainers to be offered position of Frontier Brain. Currently registered for the Sinnoh League._

_So that's the level of skill it takes to defeat Brandon. And he's competing in the Sinnoh league? I'll have to train harder. His single Pokémon defeated three of mine, including Torterra. _

Determined to face this new challenge, Paul took his Pokémon and headed to sleep, planning to begin training harder than ever starting from tomorrow.

**Post A/N:**

**23/01/2013:**

Thank you, Shaydrall for your helpful Beta advice! It goes a long way! Everyone, please review every chapter! It's the source of inspiration for an author.


	4. Training, Ketchum Style!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. The characters and other elements of this story are the copyrighted property of Pokémon or its affiliates and licensors. This fan fiction is purely for enjoyment and no desire of profit comes out of it. **

Key:

"Speech"

_Thoughts_

"_Telepathy_"

'Pokéspeech'

**Chapter 4**

**Training, Ketchum Style!**

Ash woke up the next day and was refreshed from the weary journey. It was a beautiful day outside, as he discovered when he opened the window. The sun had risen and not a rain cloud in the sky. He intended to work out a training schedule which he could follow every day. True, he used to train his Pokémon before, but he planned to make it more intense with his older Pokémon. The more experienced members of his team can help his newer Pokémon he'd catch in Sinnoh. He got ready and met Brock, Dawn and Lita downstairs at the Pokémon Centre lobby.

"Good Morning sleepyhead!" teased Latias.

"Morning. What's up?" Ash ignored the jab at his sleeping habits. He was used to it by now from different people for the past many years. They headed outside to have a light breakfast. Sure, they could buy it from the Pokémon centre, but they needed to feed their Pokémon too, and the Pokémon preferred Brock's handmade diet. He always stocked up enough stuff to make food for everybody. There was no better practice for a Pokémon breeder, in Brock's opinion. He gladly offered to make food for Dawn and Piplup as well.

"Would you guys mind if I travel with you? I'm a newbie when it comes to how to take care of my Pokémon. I'd appreciate it if you'll help me. Since I know Sinnoh fairly well from when I've travelled with my mom, I can help you guys with the places too." Dawn asked hopefully. Another reason for this _might_ have been Brock's cooking.

Ash eyed Latias, the unasked question clear.

"_It's okay Ash; I believe that she's trustworthy."_ Latias answered the questioning glance telepathically. Latias could limit who hears her telepathy, so Dawn was unaware of the conversation. As Latias was a Pokémon with empathetic ability, Ash trusted her judgment. He needed to be very careful about the people he decides to trust, since Latias would attract poachers like a magnet.

"Sure thing, Dawn! We have a habit of getting lost, so we'd need your help too." Ash replied.

"Thanks! We've already battled a few Pokémon and we could use some help." Dawn answered while Piplup hung his head.

"Alright then! Brock, I was planning to get some training in anyway. Why don't we head to the forest, and you can try to make some new Pokémon friends, Dawn?"

"Sounds good to me!" chimed Dawn.

Ash, Brock and Lita walked towards the forest while Dawn followed in her bike. **(A/N: Uh-Oh…) **They reached the forest and sought out a clearing. It had enough space for the group to practice.

"Go, Bonsly!" shouted Brock. Dawn quickly scanned it in his Pokédex.

"I left the rest of my team at the Gym" explained Brock, answering Ash's silent question.

"Go Corphish! Bulbasaur! Pidgeot! Cyndaquil! Starly!" said Ash.

Pikachu hopped off his trainer's shoulder and joined the team. Awestruck, Dawn promptly began to check out the Kanto Pokémon in her Pokédex. They were fairly rare in Sinnoh, and she had only seen them in TV.

"Guys, meet Starly, our newest teammate. And this is Dawn. She'll be travelling with us from now on." Ash told his team. The Pokémon enthusiastically greeted Starly and Dawn. Starly was slightly intimidated by Pidgeot, but calmed down when she gave him a reassuring grin.

"Wow, that's a lot of Pokémon Ash!" said Dawn.

"Thanks" Ash felt it was time he introduced the seventh member of his team. If Dawn was going to be travelling with him in Sinnoh and Lita trusted her, she'll know eventually anyway.

"Dawn, would you mind keeping a secret?" Ash asked out of the blue.

"Uh... Sure thing! What is it?" Dawn asked curiously.

He turned to Latias and nodded. She promptly shape shifted to her Pokémon form. Starly was surprised, but Dawn stumbled backwards in surprise and alarm.

"Wow! I didn't know humans could evolve to Pokémon!" Dawn exclaimed. The group face planted.

"Actually Dawn, Latias is a Pokémon that can take human form, not the other way around" Ash explained.

"Wha..? But I heard her talk! Pokémon can't talk!"

"Latias is very intelligent. She can use telepathy as well. She learned how to talk a while ago. She still can't talk too well though." Ash explained. Good thing Dawn didn't know Latias was a legendary for now. A talking and shape shifting Pokémon was easier to accept than a Legendary talking and shape shifting Pokémon. Ditto were known for shape shifting abilities, after all. So the only think completely new to Dawn would be the talking part. After all, Dawn had never encountered Team Rocket's Meowth.

"Whoa." Dawn pointed her Pokédex at the majestic red and white dragoness before her.

"Latias." the Pokédex beeped. "The Eon Dragon Pokémon. They are extremely rare and further information about this Legendary Pokémon is unknown."

"A... LEGENDARY!?" Dawn shrieked on top of her lungs. This time, she stumbled and actually fell to a sitting position. Her mouth was wide open in shock and disbelief. No one could blame her, Legendary Pokémon were akin to Gods of the Pokémon world.

_Well, there's that detail taken care of. _Ash thought with a sweat drop. Professor Oak really hadn't been kidding when he told him that he had basically no info on Latias.

Latias blushed at Dawn's reaction. She wasn't used to so much attention just due to her legendary status.

"Wow…" Dawn breathed, walking around and admiring the dragoness. "Nice to meet you in person, Latias. This is the first time I've met a legendary. I think."

"_You're not sure?"_ asked Latias.

Dawn was startled again, but remembered Ash telling her about telepathy.

"Well, I saw a Pokémon that was nearly invisible at Lake Verity yesterday. Professor Rowan said it might have been Mespirit, the lake guardian."

"It could be. Legendaries are pretty shy towards humans, and I've heard from my brother that the lake guardians only reveal themselves to pure souls. If that was Mespirit, you're very lucky." Latias said.

"So I have a pure soul?"

"Yes, I can sense that much." said Latias, smiling.

"That reminds me of my first day" said Ash. "I saw Ho-Oh flying above me. That's what keeps inspiring me. You wouldn't believe how many legendaries I've seen after that." He bragged, albeit truthfully.

"Wow! Really? Can you tell me about them sometime?" Dawn asked, wide eyed.

"Sure, Dawn. But you have to keep silent about Latias. Otherwise Pokémon hunters and the like will be after her." Ash said seriously.

"I understand. I won't tell a soul. No need to worry! But how come you can carry seven Pokémon?" Dawn asked curiously. It was only the other day that Professor Rowan told her that trainers can carry only up to six Pokémon.

"Professor Oak increased the number of Pokémon I can carry. I can carry eight Pokémon now. That way, I can keep Latias a secret even if I have to go on six on six battles."

"Oh, that explains it."

"Dawn, what moves your Piplup can use?" Brock asked.

"Well, he knows Peck, Bubble Beam and Bide." Said Dawn.

"Why don't you work with Bubble Beam's accuracy and power? Have him use Bubble Beam on that rock continuously till it breaks. Then, try the next rock, this time with more power. Try and shorten the time it takes for the rock to break." Ash told her. Ash and Brock decided to help Dawn first, as she's new.

"Okay. Do it Piplup!"

Piplup began to bombard the rock with bubble beam.

"Corphish, do the same on a different rock."

Corphish used bubble beam as well. The rock broke apart in two seconds flat. Piplup, who was still trying to break the rock, renewed its efforts seeing Corphish in action. Ash decided a rock wasn't good enough for Corphish and chose a boulder instead. He then turned to Latias.

"Latias, what moves do you know?" Ash asked.

"_Well, you saw Psychic. I can do Mist ball, that's my special move, Dragon Breath and Surf. I learned Surf recently while flying above the ocean near Alto Mare._" Latias replied telepathically.

"What does Mist Ball do?" Ash asked curiously.

"I think it's supposed to reduce the effectiveness of the attacks used by my opponent. That's what my brother told me."

"Ash, you should have Latias use her Psychic powers to search the area for wandering trainers while she's training. We don't want anyone finding out about her, do we?" Brock, the oldest and wisest, suggested.

Ash agreed. "Can you do that, Latias?"

"I think I can." Latias concentrated and used Psychic to search for human presence. Now she had to maintain it while training.

"Pidgeot, can you teach her Ariel Ace? You can practice its power and accuracy while you're at it." Ash told his Kanto flying type.

"Geot!" Pidgeot nodded.

"How do I get Bulbasaur to learn Rock Smash, Brock? It'd come in handy." Ash asked the breeder.

"Well, repeatedly hitting the rocks with paws should work. Bulbasaur just needs to discover the right amount of energy and effort he needs to put in for the rock to break." Brock said thoughtfully.

"Thanks, Brock! Bulbasaur, Do it!"

"Saur!"

"Cyndaquil, you'll learn Flame Wheel-"

Ash was interrupted when Cyndaquil covered itself with fire and rolled around in high speeds.

"Okay… so you already learned that." Ash sweat dropped. He frowned thoughtfully. Cyndaquil haven't been to any real battles in a while. He'll definitely need to improve his accuracy and speed. Speed has always been one of his key strategies. Starly had trouble dodging attacks during the battle they had with Paul, so he'll need to work on that as well.

"Cyndaquill, try to increase the range of your Flamethrower along with power while you try to hit Starly. Starly, increase your speed and learn to dodge."

Both went to their assigned tasks. He turned to Pikachu. He had a special attack in mind for his starter. He had seen it being used in TV before.

"Okay Pikachu, we're gonna learn…" he whispered. Pikachu perked up and grinned at his trainer.

Pikachu began to surround himself with electricity. He tried to direct it towards his tail, but the electricity discharged to the air. He tried again, this time with much more electricity. This ended in Ash getting electrocuted.

"Maybe not that much…" a charred Ash said.

"What are they doing?" Dawn asked Brock.

"I think Ash is trying to get Pikachu to learn a new attack." Brock replied thoughtfully.

"So you have to teach Pokémon new attacks?" Dawn asked.

"Pokémon can learn new attacks themselves, or a trainer can teach them. Ash usually doesn't teach his Pokémon new moves except when they really need them, but now it looks like he's expanding the number of moves he can work with. That's a good thing, too. Having a large number of long range and close range attacks of different types really gives you the edge." Brock explained.

A few hours later, a bike was charred. Ash was facing away from the bike, so he didn't see this.

"Alright Pikachu! You learned Electro Ball!" Ash shouted with glee. It took a long time to discover the right amount of electricity and to control it long enough to shape it into a ball, but they finally succeeded.

Pikachu didn't share his trainer's enthusiasm. He pointed behind Ash dramatically while slapping itself with the other hand. Turning around, he saw a crispy bike and an angry Dawn.

"I was wondering when this was gonna happen!" said Ash cheerfully, trying to lighten the mood. Pikachu slowly backed away and Dawn started chasing Ash.

"Why meee..." wailed Ash, fleeing from Dawn.

"Come back here Ash Ketchum! That was a brand new bike!" Dawn was right behind him.

Brock calmly continued to cook lunch. Ash was a living example of Murphy's Law, and it never failed with bikes.

Latias blinked "Am I missing something?"

By the afternoon, Ash could see improvement in his Pokémon's performance. Piplup became more and more agitated that Corphish was showing off, and learned Fury attack. Unfortunately, this did not bode well for Corphish as the scratches on it showed. Latias learned Giga impact while in the process of learning Aerial Ace as the attacks are executed similarly with just a speed difference. Following this, she also learned Aerial Ace. Ash was amazed by her intelligence and potential. She had intelligence equal to if not greater than humans, so learning attacks was just the matter of understanding the concept for her. After several burns, Starly was finally better at dodging.

Latias suddenly became alert.

"_Someone's approaching!"_ she warned and turned invisible, much to the astonishment of Dawn.

"Hello friends." A trainer walked into the clearing. "I am Nando the bard. Would one of you like you battle with me?"

"Yes please!" Dawn jumped at the opportunity. She wanted to battle for so long. "I'm Dawn of Twinleaf town by the way!"

Ash and Brock introduced themselves to the wandering trainer. He looked like a calm individual with a friendly disposition, unlike Paul. Soon, Nando and Dawn took their positions at the opposing ends of the field.

"Piplup, take the stage!"

"Stage, what stage?" wondered Ash.

"The whole world is a stage for a skilled performer!" said Dawn cheerfully.

"That's an interesting approach, Dawn! Are you a coordinator?" asked Nando.

"Yeah. My mother was a top coordinator and I want to follow her footsteps."

"An admirable goal indeed. Then let us have a contest battle, and my choice for this battle is Budew."

Dawn quickly checked out Budew in the Pokédex. By an unspoken agreement, Nando made the first move.

"Budew, use Sunny Day!"

Everyone in the group felt the intensity of the sun increase.

"Use Peck!" Dawn responded.

"Launch a Solarbeam, my friend!" Nando said suddenly. The Solar beam was charged quickly thanks to the solar beam, and released.

"Ah! Piplup, dodge!" Dawn panicked.

Piplup couldn't change the direction it was headed, so he tried to twist himself out of the way. By some miracle, Piplup managed to pull off a mid-air spin that helped him to deviate slightly from its path. This wasn't enough to fully avoid the attack, but he avoided the full force of the attack. Piplup was badly hurt when he landed, but got up nonetheless. He was a prideful Pokémon, after all.

_That's a good counter-strategy_ thought Ash. _Piplup can't change the direction or dodge in mid-air as he can't fly. But spinning like that helped him to change the direction slightly and dodge the attack! _

"All right, Piplup! Now, spin, and use Bubble beam!" Dawn thought that the spin can go a long way in contests.

"Jump to dodge, my friend!"

Having practiced Bubble beam all day, Piplup was able to attack immediately. Budew couldn't dodge it in time and the Bubblebeam scored a direct hit.

"Excellent work, Piplup! Now use Fury attack!"

Piplup got in closed and prepared for Fury Attack. However-

"Show us a shower of your Bullet seed attack!"

-Piplup was blasted away by Bullet Seed. As Piplup was already tired from training, he fainted.

"Return Piplup, you did great." Dawn said, but you could hear the disappointment in her voice.

"Cheer up, Dawn! That was a great battle and Piplup was at a disadvantage. We learned a whole new way of dodging an attack while in the air, so that was a great learning experience!" Ash complimented.

"Ah, thank you Ash." Dawn said, smiling. She felt slightly better. It's not like she had any Pokémon that weren't at a disadvantage, and Nando seemed to be more experienced than her.

"That was remarkable indeed. Your moves were as graceful and elegant as that of a true performer. I look forward to battling you again, Dawn!" said Nando.

"Thank you Nando! Say, are you a coordinator as well?"

"That's a good question Dawn, for I cannot seem to decide between battling and contests."

"Why not choose what you enjoy the most?" questioned Dawn.

"I cannot decide what I enjoy more." Nando replied, smiling. "Contests bring out the beauty and elegance of a Pokémon and its moves, and please a great deal of people. Battles, however, are true tests for strategy and cunning."

"Well, I personally like battles. We can bond with Pokémon in a whole new level when we battle, win or lose. I remember all of my accomplishments with each of my Pokémon, and I wouldn't trade that feeling for anything. " said Ash.

"But contests help you bond with Pokémon too! You have to battle in the second round of contests, remember?" Dawn reminded Ash.

"It just isn't the same, Dawn. What do you think, Brock?" Ash asked.

Brock was put on the spot. "Well…" he said. "Why don't we let Nando decide? Let him have a Pokémon battle now!" Brock suggested.

"All right! Why don't you battle me now, Nando?" Ash asked.

"An appealing suggestion, Ash."

Ash walked to the opposing end of the makeshift field. This was a good chance to gain experience for his Starly. They got ready for the battle.

"I choose you, Sunflora!"

"Go, Starly!"

"Show us your Razor leaf attack, Sunflora."

"Dodge it!"

The earlier training paid off as Starly managed to dodge the razor sharp leaves easily. Ash launched into the offensive.

"Use Quick Attack followed by Wing Attack!"

The momentum of quick attack transferred to wing attack and Sunflora some took heavy damage.

"Charge for Solar Beam, my friend!" Nando ordered.

"Starly, stay put." Ash instructed. If Starly dodged beforehand, Nando could redirect the attack. Ash had learned the value of dodging at the last second before. Nando ordered Sunflora to release Solar beam, hoping to score a direct hit. Ash ordered Starly to dodge at the last second. Contrary to Nando's expectations, Starly was able to dodge, thanks to the training with Cyndaquil.

"Now, use another Quick Attack!" Ash followed.

Sunflora was still in the process of recovering from the Solar Beam. Starly accelerated towards it. Suddenly, Starly momentarily disappeared from view and rammed into Sunflora. Ash instantly recognized the attack.

"Good work Starly! You learned Aerial Ace!" Ash cheered.

The damage proved to be too much and Sunflora fainted. Nando thanked her and returned her to the Pokéball. As he turned to Ash, Starly began to glow and change form.

"Hey! What's happening to Starly?" asked Dawn.

"He's evolving!" replied Brock.

Starly's evolution was complete and a Staravia stood in his place. Dawn checked out the Staravia in her Pokédex. Ash complemented him for evolving and returned Staravia to his Pokéball.

"That was a great battle Ash. Thank you." He turned to the rest of the gang. "I've now decided what I'll do in the future."

"Really? What do you like more?" Dawn asked.

"Neither. Or, more accurately, I like both Pokémon battles and Contests. So I'll travel both ways and develop my own unique style." Nando said, smiling. He loved them both too much to forego one for the other.

"That's great Nando!" Ash said honestly.

"See you soon, farewell to all of you." He waved and departed. Once he was sufficiently far away, Latias came out of her invisibility.

"That's so cool you can become invisible Latias!" Dawn said, slightly awestruck.

"_Thank you Dawn. It's something unique to me and Latios."_ Latias replied telepathically. Dawn instantly got curious on who Latios was, but dropped the subject when she noticed Latias looked sad. She made a mental note to ask Brock about it later.

Soon, they wound up their little training session. Dawn was unable to find any new Pokémon. Brock told her not to worry as they're bound to find more Pokémon along the way. The group headed to the Pokémon centre. After healing the Pokémon, Dawn called her mom and introduced Ash, Brock, and Lita. Johanna was glad her daughter wouldn't be alone and asked them to take care of her daughter. Dawn learned that they have to go to a Contest hall to register for contests. As Ash had already registered for the Sinnoh league, they decide to travel to Jubilife City the next day.

Once again, our heroes were on the road. Jubilife was approximately a week's travel by foot, if they gave enough time for training sessions in between. They decided to have training sessions either early in the morning or in the afternoon, depending on when they find a suitable place and proximity to a Pokémon centre. Thankfully, there were numerous wayside Pokémon centers to help travelling trainers. They could rest there for the night too, or they'd camp outside. Ash made sure not to do any intense training when there weren't any Pokémon centers nearby.

Even while travelling, Ash sometimes had his Pokémon do some training. Occasionally, he had Bulbasaur do the same exercise that he did in the woods near Pallet. One day, nearing noon, Bulbasaur wasn't particularly looking where he was aiming and trouble started when a stray Razor Leaf hit a nearby Pokémon.

"Turtwig! Turt Turtwig!" An angry voice was heard from a nearby bush. Out of it came a small Pokémon with a brown shell on it back covering its green and yellow colored body. It had yellow eyes and a small growing seedling on a brown colored patch in its head.

"A Turtwig? Alright! Time for my second Sinnoh Pokémon! Go, Bulbasaur!" Ash said enthusiastically.

"Bulba! Saur!"

"Hold on Ash, I want to catch it!" said Dawn.

"Okay" said Ash, a little down. He had to give Dawn a fair chance, as he already had lots of Pokémon to train.

"Piplup, use Peck Attack!"

Ash suddenly recognized the danger. "Hold on Dawn, you can't always charge in to a battle like that!"

The warning came too late, however, as Piplup had already neared the Turtwig. Turtwig extended its vines and used a Mega Drain attack. He promptly followed it with Razor leaf. It hit the mark. The two effective attacks in succession knocked out the penguin Pokémon. Turtwig turned to Bulbasaur and challenged it.

"Beaten by a wild Pokémon... Again..." Dawn was depressed. Lita tried to cheer her up while Ash faced Turtwig.

"Alright Bulbasaur, use Razor Leaf. Show him real power!"

Bulbasaur complied and Turtwig too, responded with a Razor Leaf. However, Bulbasaur's attack cut through Turtwig's Razor leaf and hit him hard. Turtwig countered with a Leech Seed which Bulbasaur dodged.

"Use Vine Whip to hold Turtwig down. Then use Solarbeam!"

Bulbasaur complied. Turtwig struggled to get free as Bulbasaur launched Solar Beam. It landed a direct hit. Turtwig was badly hurt from the attack, even if he was partially resistant to it.

"Go, Pokéball!"

The Pokéball hit its target. Weakened severely, Turtwig didn't put up much of a fight and was caught. Ash had a huge grin on his face as he walked forward to 'complete' the process. Dawn was even more depressed when she saw how easily Ash had caught his first Pokémon in Sinnoh.

"Don't worry Dawn, Ash has a lot of experience and Bulbasaur is very strong, despite his size. Besides, Piplup was at a type disadvantage again." Brock told her. Dawn nodded, determined to catch the next Pokémon that crossed their path.

"Alright! I caught- A Turtwig!"

"Pi Pikachu!"

Ash and Pikachu did their pose and Dawn and Lita sweat-dropped.

"Is it necessary to do the pose as well?" asked Dawn.

"No, I don't think so." Replied Lita.

"So, Turtwig found a trainer, eh? I hope you take good care of him, young man." Said an old lady, who just emerged from the nearby woods.

Ash turned around, surprised. He was not aware of anyone else in the area. "Excuse me Ma'am. But who are you?"

"Oh, sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Clara and Turtwig is a good friend of mine."

"My name's Ash, from Pallet Town. Sorry, I didn't know Turtwig belonged to anyone-" Ash began.

"Oh, don't worry about it dear, he's not mine. I'm glad he finally found a worthy trainer. I can see you take good care of your Pokémon by looking at your Bulbasaur. Train that Turtwig equally well."

"I will, Ma'am." promised Ash. Everyone else introduced themselves. Clara insisted they come along for some tea. Tired as they were, they gladly accepted the offer. After resting a bit at Clara's house, she bade farewell to Turtwig and the group departed.

The following day, the group continued their journey along with the routine training. Pidgeot succeeded in learning Air Slash while Latias showed how she learned Solarbeam after watching Ash and Dawn battle Nando the other day. The group is once again amazed by the legendary's intelligence. Bulbasaur learned synthesis after seeing Turtwig use it. He finally learned Rock Smash as well. Bulbasaur showed Turtwig ways to improve his speed and also 'convinced' him that dodging was better than taking an attack head on. This also led to Turtwig learning Protect. The two became fast friends.

As the group continued on their path, they proceeded to do what they do best. Yup, they got lost.

"Nice forest." commented Ash.

"Good thing you're being so optimistic about this." Brock grumbled.

"Hey! It's not my fault this time!" replied Ash indignantly.

"What do you mean, 'this time?'" asked Dawn.

Ash and Brock had numerous flashbacks and shuddered. "Never mind" they replied.

"_I've found that Ash is quite good at getting lost_" said Lita.

"Am not!"

"_Then why is it that every time I find you is when you're lost?_" she asked.

"Well, if you're so good at navigation, why don't you find us a way out?" retorted Ash.

"_I'd love to, but I don't know Sinnoh at all. How will I know which is the way out if I don't know where we're headed?_" Lita reasoned.

"Good point." agreed Brock. At this point, they began to hear the rustling of leaves. They got nervous. They were lost and trapped in a forest.

"Um… do you guys hear that?" asked Dawn.

Apparently, the paranoia was getting to Ash and Brock so they too became nervous. Latias identified the presence but decided to amuse herself and keep silent.

The rustling grew closer.

"Whoever you are, whatever you are, come out and fight!" Ash said with false bravado, though his voice was shaky.

"We already had a battle the other day, Ketchum" said Paul, coming out of the forest. The group face planted except Lita, who was giggling.

"What are you doing in Bewilder forest? Don't tell me you're lost." Paul said mockingly.

"Uh... no. We're just exploring the local wildlife-" Ash began.

"Yes, we're lost." Brock decided to save whatever dignity they had left.

"If this is Bewilder forest, then that'll be a problem" said Dawn.

"Why?" asked Ash.

"They say people who get lost here take ages to get out" said Dawn.

"So why are you here Paul? You're lost too aren't ya?" Ash asked accusingly.

"Not a chance. I'm looking for strong Pokémon to add to my team" responded Paul.

Suddenly, they heard a rustling noise again. This time, Ash wasn't scared and rushed to the direction of the sound.

"Ash, wait!" shouted Dawn. The group followed. Hoping for a wild Pokémon, Paul followed as well.

When they arrived, they saw Ash who looked like he'd fall asleep any minute gazing at the antlers of a quadruped Pokémonwith each leg ending in a black hoof. Its pelt was a tan color with a cream-colored belly and a few cream-colored spots on the back. It had a large, brown nose and a pair of pale cream-colored antlers, each with a black orb in the center. Brock instantly identified the Pokémon as a Stantler.

"Idiot." Paul commented.

"What happened to him?" asked Dawn.

"He's under that Stantler's illusion." Said Lita. She released a wave of Psychic energy and disrupted the illusion. Ash suddenly snapped out of it.

"What? Where?" said Ash.

"I don't know how you managed to get yourself out of that illusion, but I advice that you don't stare at the antlers for long."

"Antlers? What antlers?" Ash turned around. "Oh those antlers!" Fortunately, Ash turned back quickly and walked away, avoiding falling into the illusion twice.

"Chimchar, standby for battle" ordered Paul.

"Chim! Chimchar!"

"Use Flame wheel on the Stantler."

Chimchar used the flame wheel attack. It scored a direct hit on Stantler and it fainted. Chimchar began to celebrate. It was cut short by Paul recalling it without a word of thanks.

"What a weak Pokémon. Not worth my time." Said Paul, turning away.

"Hey! You injured it, so you have to capture it and treat it!" said Ash, angered.

"It was injured because it was weak. I'm outta here." Paul turned away and left. Ash glared in his direction. Brock decided to treat the injured Stantler. Stantler takes a liking to Brock, and Brock decided to catch him.

The group followed the direction Paul had taken in hopes of finding a way out. Brock had an idea and showed Lita their destination in a map. She turned invincible and took off at top speed. After exploring for a while, she located the nearest city which looked like the one from the map. It was still far away for walking, so she found another place outside their forest that was more accessible. She had a good sense of direction, so she returned to the group and led them out of the clearing.

"Thanks Latias! You're a lifesaver!" Dawn said cheerfully. She was afraid they'd be stuck in the forest for the night. Ash begrudgingly admitted that maybe Latias had a slightly better sense of direction than him. Brock identified the clearing from the map and told them that there was a centre nearby. Ash and Dawn decided to train a bit more. Dawn really needed to improve to be ready for contests.

"Alright Latias, let's get you used to battles!"

"Really? I thought you wanted to keep me secret for a while longer."

"I do. So please keep scanning the surroundings for intruders while we battle."

"Then who will I battle?" asked Latias, confused.

Ash grinned. "Pikachu" he replied.

Latias began to sweat slightly. "Um… are you sure I'm ready for that?"

"Don't worry Latias, I'll be commanding you. Pikachu can battle by himself."

Latias felt a little reassured after this and said "I'm ready!"

"Alright Pikachu. Are you up to this?"

"Pika Pika!" said Pikachu, pumping his fists and cheeks sparking. Latias looked slightly intimidated (mostly because she knew what he was capable of) so Pikachu reassured her.

'Don't worry! I'll go easy on you.'

Latias shook her head. 'I need to be prepared. Give me all you've got.'

'Well, if you're sure' replied Pikachu uncertainly.

The two Pokémon faced each other from opposite sides of a makeshift field. Brock decided to watch. Dawn didn't want to miss watching a legendary in action so she decided to keep an eye on the battle.

"Don't worry Latias, you'll do fine."

"Thank you Ash. Ready, Pikachu!"

Pikachu jumped up in the air and used a Thunder attack.

"Quick Latias, Dodge!"

And Latias was not there anymore, but behind Pikachu.

'What? How did you…?' Pikachu asked, frantically twisting around to redirect the thunder in midair. It was useless, however, as Latias moved away from there as well.

'One of the fastest Pokémon on air, remember?' said Latias, now from behind Pikachu.

'Gotcha!' Pikachu exclaimed, hitting her with Iron Tail.

Everyone watching, Pokémon included, were impressed. Latias showed incredible maneuverability while Pikachu showed his experience by quickly countering it.

'Ow…' Latias whined.

'Don't get cocky' Pikachu grinned. Latias narrowed her eyes.

"Careful, Latias. Use Dragon Breath!"

Latias fired the beam of draconic energy. Pikachu was too fast, however, and dodged it.

'Time for a taste of my Thunderbolt!' cried Pikachu. It hit Latias, as she was just finishing her attack.

'Hey Pikachu! Stop! That tickles!' Latias said, to purposefully irritate Pikachu.

'Tickles? ... TICKLES?'

'Lesson one Pikachu, Dragon types are resistant to electricity' Latias said smugly. Truthfully, that attack did hurt, but not as much as the Iron Tail. Latios had told her that taunting an opponent and making them lose their cool was a good strategy, so she decided to try it out.

'Okay, nobody and I mean NOBODY makes fun of MY electric attacks! **DISCHARGE!**'

The last word came with a raw expulsion of electric energy. Rocks near Pikachu crumbled, and arcs of electricity began to shoot everywhere in the field, destroying boulders and creating craters.

'YIKES! I am NOT making fun of Pikachu again! No matter how good a strategy that is!' cried Latias while frantically dodging the electric arcs. She did get hit a few times, and those were painful.

'Not so resistant now, are ya?' asked Pikachu with a triumphant grin. Ash sweat dropped, having understood most of the conversation, because Pikachu was his best friend for about five years.

"Um, Pikachu…? Don't you think you overdid it a bit?" Ash asked.

'Huh?' Pikachu looked around. Most of the Pokémon were covering behind trees and rocks, as far away from the field as possible. Dawn and Piplup were hiding behind Brock, watching Pikachu with wide eyes. The sky was darkening and the rumble of a thunder could be heard.

'He he… Oops!' Pikachu grinned sheepishly.

Latias slowly faced Pikachu and said 'Sorry Pikachu. I didn't know it was a sensitive subject.'

'Heh heh, yeah that brought some bad memories, that's all. Forget about it.'

_Well on the bright side, Pikachu learned Discharge_ thought Ash, recognizing the attack.

"Alright, let's resume. Latias, Psychic!"

Latias used her powers to get hold of Pikachu before he could escape. She began to attack, exerting her mental power. Pikachu took some heavy damage, until he used a Thunder attack to disrupt the Psychic energy and free himself. Pikachu was panting mildly. The discharge attack took a lot out of him. Latias wasn't faring much better, the discharge hurt her more than she believed possible. She was once hit by a stray thunder from a Zapdos (she was curious and got too close) but frankly, Pikachu shocked harder.

"Use Mist Ball!"

Latias began forming her special attack. Pikachu had heard what the attack does when Latias explained it, so he began to form his own attack as well.

_Let's see, concentrate electricity in the tail, form a ball, aim and release!_ he thought.

'Mist Ball!' Latias cried.

'Electro Ball!' shouted Pikachu.

The two attacks collided in the middle of the field resulting in an explosion. When it cleared, both Pokémon were on their last legs, although Latias looked more exhausted.

"Alright guys, that's enough for now. We don't want you to get seriously hurt!" said Ash.

Latias collapsed to the ground. That was really exhausting.

"Phew! I'm tired." She said.

'That was a great first battle, Latias!' complimented Pikachu. The other Pokémon too, congratulated her on her first battle. The older Pokémon found a new respect for her, as she matched Pikachu in speed and could take that Discharge attack. Dawn complemented her as well, she did great for her first battle and it inspired her to work hard in contests.

The group hurriedly moved to a shelter as the thunderstorm 'initiated' by Pikachu hit full force. It was afternoon by the time the storm cleared and Dawn was determined to catch at least one Pokémon before they reach Jubilife city. They began to search and Piplup spotted a pair of fluffy ears sticking out of a bush. The group saw that it was a Buneary in the process of eating some berries.

"Alright! It's our time to shine! Go, Piplup! Use Bubblebeam!"

Piplup immediately launched a blast of bubbles towards the bunny Pokémon. The Bubble beam hit Buneary. A little injured and annoyed, she bounced near Piplup and used Pound. Angered, Piplup countered with fury attack.

"Piplup, Peck now!"

Piplup stopped fury attack and began to peck Buneary. Deciding close battling was a bad idea, Buneary bounced back, but was already injured. She formed a ball of ice in her mouth and launched it.

"Watch out for the Ice Beam! Counter with another Bubble beam!"

The Bubbles were frozen by the Ice beam, creating a beautiful shower of frozen bubbles.

"Now, use Peck."

Piplup used the momentum to peck Buneary again. Buneary used Endure and did a Jump Kick. Piplup hit the ground hard but got back up.

"Don't give up, Piplup! Use Bubble beam again!"

Again, the Bubblebeam attack landed. The damage proved to be too much and Buneary was fighting unconsciousness. Dawn took the opportunity and threw a Pokéball. Fortunately, Buneary was weakened enough and was captured.

"We did it Piplup! Our first Pokémon! Buneary!" Dawn jumped up and down with joy while hugging Piplup. Piplup was crying in happiness.

"Great job, Dawn! I'm sure Buneary will be an excellent addition to the team!" Ash congratulated.

"Yeah! I'm sure you learned a lot from the experience too!" Brock told her. Lita nodded, silently agreeing.

"Thanks guys!" Dawn said. She felt so much better after catching a new Pokémon. Buneary is perfect for contests, too, as cute Pokémon often scored in appeals. She also proved herself to be a strong battler.

Now that Dawn finally caught her first Pokémon, they continued to Jubilife city and reached there by nightfall. They found the Pokémon centre. Dawn was confused to see Nurse Joy again, but she explained that she had 'a big family'. This comment was Brock's cue and he rushed to Nurse Joy to declare his love. Unfortunately (for him), he tripped over himself. Seeing the glint in Lita's eye, Dawn was sure the legendary girl had something to do with it.

Dawn and Brock handed their Pokémon for checkup. Ash handed his seven Pokéballs and Pikachu. Nurse Joy raised an eyebrow on the number but knew it was allowed in rare cases.

"Nurse Joy, one of my Pokémon is a bit rare. So please be careful." Ash said, pointing to Latias' Pokéball. After all, Latias was a Pokémon and she had an exhausting day. She had to be treated, secret or not.

"Don't worry. We handle similar cases occasionally" said Nurse Joy.

_I doubt that_ thought Ash.

Fifteen minutes later, they returned to collect the Pokémon. Ash could see Nurse Joy was very much surprised but she hid it well. They got a room, and he let Latias out.

"That was refreshing" said Latias, yawning. "Although the Nurse was a bit shaky while treating me. She must be new" said Latias thoughtfully.

_It's not the nurse, it's you. It's not often they have to check up legendaries…_ Ash thought.

Soon, the group fell asleep, with Dawn excited about her first contest, and Ash excited about his subsequent Gym Battle.

**Post A/N: **I hope that wasn't too bad. I covered a few days of training and Dawn and Latias' first battles. Just to be clear, Latias is not nearly as strong as Pikachu. Pikachu was tired due to that unexpected discharge attack. Latias' main asset is her speed. Next chapter will be the contest (only a slight mention will be given, as I don't want to just copy what happened in the show and I'm a bit uncreative about contest combinations) and probably Ash's first Gym battle. Before that, here's a list of Ash's Pokémon at hand and the moves they know. They are in the order from strongest to weakest. I'm not a fan of the four move limit in the game. Latias and Bulbasaur are near the same strength.

**Pikachu: **Thunder Shock, Thunder Bolt, Agility, Quick Attack, Thunder, Double edge, Tackle, Leer, Iron Tail, Volt Tackle, Electro Ball, Discharge

**Pidgeot: **Gust, Quick Attack, Sand-Attack, Whirlwind, Wing Attack, Double-Edge, Aerial Ace, Steel wing, Double team, Feint, Peck, Air slash

**Latias: **Psychic, Mist ball, Dragon breath, Aerial Ace, Giga Impact, surf, Solarbeam

**Bulbasaur**: Razor Leaf, Solar beam, vine whip, tackle, leech seed, Sleep powder, take down, dig, synthesis, rock smash

**Corphish**: Crab Hammer, Bubble Beam, Vice Grip, Harden,

**Cyndaquil**: Flame Wheel, Flamethrower, Tackle, Agility, smokescreen, swift, quick attack.

**Staravia: **Tackle, Quick attack, Wing attack, Double team, Whirlwind, Ariel Ace

**Turtwig: **Mega drain, Razor Leaf, Leech Seed, Withdraw, Bite, Protect


	5. Enter, Team Galactic!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. The characters and other elements of this story are the copyrighted property of Pokémon or its affiliates and licensors. This fan fiction is purely for enjoyment and no desire of profit comes out of it. **

**Chapter 5**

**Enter, Team Galactic!**

Jubilife, known as the town of happiness, is the largest city in the Sinnoh region. The entire city is built on land carved out of a mountain by the residents of neighboring Oreburgh City. Of course, large cities meant that they were centers of shopping, too. It was only the proximity to her debut at the Jubilife Contest that restrained Dawn from going on a shopping spree. Lita wanted to explore too, not for shopping's sake but to see the city. Ash and Brock knew they were doomed.

They headed to the contest hall to get Dawn's contest pass. After getting the details of registration out of the way, Dawn asked for a practice battle with Ash while Brock went shopping to restock supplies. They walked to a clearing outside the city. Dawn decided that Buneary would merit from some practice before the debut. She also wanted to gain more battle experience, as she didn't want to make any silly mistakes in her first contest.

"Go, Buneary!"

"Bun! Buneary!"

"Turtwig, I choose you!" Ash thought that this battle would be good experience for Turtwig. It would also be good for Dawn's confidence if he didn't completely dominate the battle by using his more experienced Pokémon.

"Turtwig! Turt!"

"Alright Buneary, use Ice beam!" Dawn decided that charging head on was not a good idea after the time when she tried to catch Turtwig.

"Dodge, Turtwig! Then use Razor leaf!"

Turtwig instantly obeyed. A small layer of ice covered his side, however, as his speed was not good enough. It was not enough for significant damage, but Ash decided that Turtwig's speed could use some work. Turtwig then fired a Razor Leaf attack.

"Dodge it using Quick Attack. Then use the momentum of the Quick Attack for Pound!" Dawn decided to copy one of Ash's strategies against Nando. It looked like a good combination, and she was just learning.

Ash grinned. "Bad idea. Protect, then Mega Drain!"

Dawn panicked. "Buneary! Get out of there quick!"

Buneary wasn't quick enough, however, as the vines quickly grabbed on to her and began to drain her energy.

Dawn figured that if she couldn't escape, the least she could do was harm Turtwig. "Try to hit Turtwig with Ice Beam!"

Struggling, Buneary formed an Ice Beam while being drained of energy and fired it at point blank range.

"Release Buneary and use Protect again!" Ash immediately retaliated, desperately hoping the Protect would hold.

Turtwig did as he was told. The Protect, unfortunately, didn't hold long enough and the Ice beam dealt with some damage.

"Use Razor Leaf attack!"

Fortunately for Dawn, Buneary had a move that helped dodge and attack at the same time.

"Buneary, use Jump Kick Now!"

The Razor leaf didn't reach Buneary in time as Buneary jumped high up in the air. Buneary's subsequent kick connected with Turtwig.

Ash could see an opening, as Buneary was once again close to Turtwig. "Quick, use Bite!"

Turtwig instantly bit Buneary's leg. Buneary flinched and struggled to get free.

"Use Ice beam now!" said Dawn, knowing Turtwig's weakness.

Ash, however, was ready for this. "Oh no you don't. Razor leaf full power!"

The barrage of Razor sharp leaves interrupted Buneary's Ice Beam and hit her full force. Buneary couldn't take it anymore and fainted.

"Good job, Buneary, Return!" said Dawn. She was a bit disappointed that she still couldn't win a battle but she knew Ash had years of experience over her. But she liked to think she was improving.

"That was way better than last time, Dawn! It might be better if Buneary was able to use Dig. Bulbasaur knows that move, so do you want to teach it to Buneary?" Ash suggested. He reasoned that a move that can be used reasonably well for defense was needed for every Pokémon.

"I don't know. Can Buneary learn it in a day's time?"

"Have confidence in your Pokémon, Dawn. It doesn't hurt to try!"

"You're right, Ash. Will Bulbasaur teach it to her?"

"I'm sure he won't have a problem. He's very helpful. I think this'll help Corphish too. Piplup can learn as well, but I think you should focus on training him yourself for the contest."

"Okay, sounds good."

"Come on out, Corphish! Bulbasaur!"

"Corphish! Cor!"

"Bulba!"

"Alright Bulbasaur, can you teach Dig to Buneary and Corphish?" Ash had already planned to teach Corphish that move. Corphish showed great skill in being able to move through sand easily way back on the day he had first met him, so Dig was an ideal move to learn.

"Saur! Bulba!"

Ash took that as a yes. He turned to Corphish.

"Corphish, Dig will help you a lot in battles. Do what Bulbasaur tells you to. I know you can do it!" encouraged Ash.

"Buneary, you can do it too!"

Both Pokémon looked determined and nodded. As they followed Bulbasaur, Ash turned to Latias.

"Ready for more training?"

"_Yes, I think so. Is it against Pikachu?"_ Latias asked a little timidly. She still vividly remembered that Discharge. Strength-wise and in experience, Pikachu was way ahead of her.

"Nope, you and Staravia can increase your aerial battle skills today. And who better to teach that than Pidgeot!" Although Latias was good at flying, Ash thought she would merit from a more combat-based approach. He had seen trainers often relying on some special tactics for flying types. Pidgeot demonstrated some of them from the battle with Paul.

Ash called out the said Pokémon. She appeared, spreading her wings and giving an intimidating cry.

"Pidgeot, can you train Latias and Staravia on how to battle in the air?" Ash asked. From what he had seen to his trip to Viridian City and his battle with Paul, the veteran flying type would have a lot to teach.

Pidgeot agreed. Soon, both were airborne. Although Latias had superior speed and maneuverability, she lacked the years of experience in flight that Pidgeot had. Latias was probably older than Pidgeot, but being constantly at battle with the Fearow and Spearow, Pidgeot was a master of aerial battles, not to mention flown greater distances than Latias had. Suffice to say, Latias had a lot to learn. This went double for Staravia, because she didn't have a speed that could match either Latias or Pidgeot. Fortunately, she knew a little about aerial battles, she was a wild Pokémon after all. Latias, however, never really had to defend herself as she could be invisible when needed. She needed to learn to fight while flying. She did reasonably well against Pikachu, but this would be more difficult against another flying type.

Ash decided to train Cyndaquil with Pikachu like he did yesterday with Latias. He hadn't battled with Cyndaquil in a long time.

"Pikachu, up for another battle by yourself? I need to get Cyndaquil some more experience."

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu agreed.

"Alright. Come on out Cyndaquil!"

"Cynda! Cynda Quil!"

"Cyndaquil, we'll be working on your battling skills today. I haven't battled with you for a long time. We'll have a sparring battle with Pikachu."

Cyndaquil seemed excited and raised the flames on his back. The two took positions at a comfortable distance from each other. Pikachu decided to start things off with a Thunderbolt.

"Cyndaquil, dodge it with Quick attack and then use Flamethrower!"

Cyndaquil was able to dodge the attack. His Flamethrower was countered with another Thunderbolt from Pikachu, resulting in some smoke.

"Cyndaquil, keep an eye out for attacks."

Cyndaquil began to look around carefully. Suddenly, Pikachu emerged from the smoke at high speeds. His tail began to glow and he launched the Iron tail attack.

"Get around him using Flame Wheel and attack from behind!"

This strategy was not very effective, however, as Pikachu immediately turned around and slammed his tail on the flaming wheel that was Cyndaquil. Cyndaquil was hit and pushed back. Pikachu was slightly singed.

_Pikachu's good. That was a good way to react in that situation. It comes from the vast experience I suppose. _Ash thought. Pikachu battled just as well without a trainer, and Ash saw the similarities in the styles. He would have had Pikachu react exactly like that, had he been commanding. Pikachu has adapted Ash's style as his own natural style. He sweat dropped thinking of Pikachu commanding another one of his Pokémon.

"Cyndaquil, use Flame thrower while you're still close."

Cyndaquil, however, didn't move. Or more accurately, couldn't move.

Pikachu grinned. 'You felt the static, buddy. Now you feel the shock. Thunder!'

Unable to move due to paralysis, Cyndaquil got hit full force. He couldn't move away and electricity travelled through his body.

'Give up, Cyndaquil. I don't want to hurt you' said Pikachu.

'I won't. I'm not weak!' replied Cyndaquil. He willed himself to move. He concentrated and tried to find the strength to get him out of paralysis. Suddenly, he began to glow and change form.

After the light faded, a Quilava stood in place of Cyndaquil. Pikachu, who had stopped the thunder in shock, said. 'You evolved! You became a Quilava! Wow!'

Ash was surprised, but not too shocked. Cyndaquil was an experienced Pokémon, after all. It was only a matter of time before he evolved.

'Alright, Payback time!' said Quilava, having snapped out of his paralysis.

_Uh oh_ thought Pikachu. _I better get far away; I don't know what he's planning._

Before Pikachu could make a move to get away, however, Quilava yelled 'Eruption!'

_Oh cra_- 'OUCHOUCHOUCH!' Pikachu began to move away from the mini volcano that was Quilava. He got burned in many places, however.

"Great job, Quilava, I'm proud of you! Now Flame wheel!"

The rolling ball of fire was a lot bigger now and Pikachu was forced to use Quick attack to get away.

'That's right! Run away!' Ah, the arrogance of evolution. Cyndaquil almost forgot what happened to Latias when she taunted Pikachu. Pikachu decided to bring Quilava down a peg or two.

'Who said I'm running away?' Pikachu shouted. Still using Quick attack, he did a one-eighty degree turn and cried 'Volt Tackle!'

'Bring it on, Pikachu!' Quilava sped up flame wheel. A large ball of fire versus a yellow rodent. Who'll win? Stupid question.

The Volt tackle combined with Quick attack hit full force. The momentum made Quilava roll in the opposite direction and crash into a tree.

'Ouch. I'm gonna feel that tomorrow' Quilava moaned, twitching.

'Oh yeah! I still got it! Did you think just evolving will give you victory? Come on, that's so cliché!' Pikachu yelled, fist pumping. Ash sweat dropped, understanding a rough translation.

"Good job, Quilava, you'll get stronger eventually" Ash complimented as he recalled Quilava.

The rest of the day progressed with more training. Corphish and Buneary learned dig by the end of the day, and Latias and Staravia got better at battling in the air. Mastering this was something that would take a long time, however. Thankfully for them, Pidgeot turned out to be a patient teacher. Turtwig worked on his speed with Bulbasaur, the older grass type being far more agile.

Brock returned from shopping with a little surprise. He showed the group his new Pokémon, Croagunk. Apparently, he began to follow Brock around the city without any particular reason. Brock assumed that it liked him, and decided to catch it.

The long awaited day of Dawn's contest debut finally arrived. The group met Zoey, another aspiring coordinator. She and Dawn struck a friendly rivalry. Both did well in the contest, with Dawn facing Zoey in the finals. Zoey was more experienced, and ultimately won the contest.

"I can't believe I lost." Said Dawn gloomily.

"Cheer up Dawn! That was a great first performance. You made it to the finals on the first try! You should be proud." Said Ash.

"I really liked the performance too, Dawn. I've never seen Pokémon moves being used this beautifully before." Said Lita, also trying to cheer Dawn up. "Let's explore the city now!" she added enthusiastically.

"Yeah! I have so much I've planned on doing!" Dawn instantly cheered up. She really felt better after hearing Latias' praise. How many other coordinators could say they were praised by a legendary Pokémon? Sometimes, it was all too easy to forget that Lita was a Pokémon. Dawn really liked her, she was very good company. She was happy that she wasn't the only girl in the group.

Ash and Brock were helpless as they were dragged to different shops. Brock protested that he already went shopping, but this fell to deaf ears. Dawn reasoned that winter was fast approaching and she needed some warm cloths to get into. Brock pointed out that they were travelling and hence couldn't take too much luggage with them, to which Dawn replied that she was going to mail most of it home anyway. Ash protested the injustice of making them carry the goods. Dawn insisted it was the 'gentlemanly' thing to do. Ash sighed. There was no use arguing with girls on shopping. Misty and May already taught him that. Dawn promised to buy them a treat if they complied without complaint.

"Not like we have a choice…" Ash grumbled in a low tone to Brock, who nodded back discretely.

"Did you say something?" Dawn turned around and asked with a dangerously sweet smile.

"Nope…not a word!" Ash began to sweat bullets.

"Thought so. Come on, Lita!"

Dawn kept on shopping while Lita looked in wonder at the various merchandise. Lita politely declined Dawn's offer to buy her something, as she didn't need any clothing. Ash noticed that Lita felt a little left out, perhaps realizing she could never fully interact with them as a human. She didn't need any cloths after all. Her disguise came with a dress.

_Still, its winter fast approaching... _Ash thought.

They noticed Lita staring at an old looking painting at some point in the shopping spree. It depicted a golden light in the centre surrounding which three ancient looking Pokémon were seen. Ash couldn't make out the details as the picture was quite vague.

"Do you recognize those Pokémon, Latias?" Ash asked curiously. Dawn stopped by to look at the picture as well.

"_I think so. The three Pokémon are Dialga, Palkia and Giratina. I think the light at the centre means Arceus." _Latias told them.

"What are those Pokémon?" Ash asked. Latias looked at him incredulously, as did Dawn.

"You haven't heard of the Creation trio? They're the Pokémon that are rumored to have created Sinnoh!" Dawn exclaimed. Arceus, however, was a farfetched legend according to what she was told. But then again, all legendaries were supposed to be myths or folklore. Yet one was standing beside her. Dawn shivered at the thought of a Pokémon that created the creation trio. One with such power to craft existence out of nothing. Arceus, The Original One, The God of Pokéverse. She remembered hearing something like that in her childhood, but vaguely. When she asked some grownups, they scoffed at the legend. She forgot about that name even, until Lita reminded her.

"Does Arceus actually exist?" Dawn asked dubiously.

Lita gave a start. She never questioned the Legend of the Original One, her ancestry being a part of it. Arceus was supposed to be resting or something, according to the legend. But who knew? Neither she nor her brother had seen Arceus, and the other legendaries rarely mentioned him, if ever. Only Mew seemed to want to talk about it. And given Mew's playful behavior, she never got anywhere with getting answers.

"I don't know, honestly. But the creation trio exists; you have my word for that." Lita said, smiling.

"Wow. Like Groudon and Kyogre from Hoenn, eh?" Ash asked.

"_Not exactly. Groudon and Kyogre created continents and the ocean. And there's Rayquaza, too. He created the sky. They're the weather trio. Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina are higher up, they created space, time and antimatter, long before anything else." _

Brock joined them with a stack of shopping bags. "Hey, the sooner you guys finish shopping, the sooner I can get these off my hands. Ash! Pick up your share!" he reminded indignantly.

"Ye-Yessir!" Ash stuttered and picked up the bags he had left on the floor. The girls walked ahead, intent on exploring. Then Ash had a sudden thought. He looked back at the clothing store they just left. "You go ahead, Brock. I'll be right back." Ash said, dropping his luggage and getting into the shop.

Brock was confused. _Since when did Ash want to buy cloths? Oh well…_

The shopping trip continued throughout the evening and it was nighttime when it finally ended. Even Dawn had the decency to look exhausted, but Lita looked like she wanted to see more.

"Please Lita… No more…" Ash groaned from underneath a pile of shopping bags. _All_ of them Dawn's. It looked like Dawn came from a pretty rich family. To be fair, she _had _offered to buy something for Lita, but the girl had politely refused. However, that didn't mean Lita didn't feel slightly sad. She didn't _need _any of the stuff Dawn brought, true, but she liked to be included.

After Dawn's treat, they headed to the room provided to them by the Pokémon centre. Dawn sorted out the merchandise, deciding what to keep and packing the majority to mail home the next day. Her new set of cloths consisted something more appropriate for the winter, as what she had on simply would _not_ do. Even Ash could see that. Lita sat on the couch trying her best not to look left out.

"Hey, Lita! Since winter's coming, you'll need something to keep warm, right? I think you could use this… I hope you like it." Ash said with a smile, handing over a beautifully wrapped gift packet. Lita's mouth dropped in shock.

_Well, what do you know? _ Brock thought, smiling slightly.

Slowly and shakily, Lita unwrapped the gift. She found a beautifully made and extremely light scarf. Just holding it felt warm. It had beautiful embroidery of some dragon Pokémon, and even Rayquaza's figure outlined it in emerald green. It was mostly red, the same color as her body. It really looked beautiful, and expensive.

Ash was subject to a bone crushing hug from the eon dragoness in disguise. "Ohthankyouthankyouthankyou!" She said in glee. It meant a lot to her coming from Ash.

Dawn smiled at the scene, thinking it was cute.

_That looks very expensive. Must have cost him a good part of his prize money from the Frontier challenge. _Brock thought with a raised eyebrow. _Still, he's as dense as ever. No sense of romance… _

Lita wouldn't take the scarf off, even by bedtime. After Ash patiently explained that the scarf may be ruined if she wore it to bed, she reluctantly took it off but hugged it tight.

"Latias sure liked that scarf, right Brock?" Ash asked his old friend.

"Maybe she likes a certain someone more than the scarf." Brock said not so subtly.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Ash asked dumbly.

_Why am I surprised?_ Brock thought, shaking his head. _Honestly, one would think he'd remember a kiss in the cheek… but nooo! Why does he always have luck like that, not me? Why!?_

The next day, they started their journey to Oreburgh City Dawn had mailed all the excess baggage home. With occasional stops and training, the travel took a bit longer. Nothing really exciting happened, but Ash got progressively excited as his Gym Battle awaited him. Nearly two days after, they reached Oreburgh City. Brock somehow convinced the overexcited Ash to head over to the Pokémon centre first. There, he began to try to gain Nurse Joy's attention. One of Brock's Pokéballs opened, revealing Croagunk. The group looked at him curiously. Croagunk simply used Poison Jab on Brock and dragged him away.

"I suppose Brock was right. The universe must really hate him" Ash said out loud, thinking of Brock's numerous unsuccessful attempts. The group healed their Pokémon and decided to head to the Gym.

"So Brock, do you know what type of Pokémon the gym uses?" Ash asked. Brock was the one who read the guidebooks, after all.

"As a matter of fact, I do. They use Rock types." Replied Brock.

"Rock Types? Do you think it'll be Geodude and Onix?" Ash asked, half jokingly. He remembered the battle he had at the Pewter Gym.

"Nah... What are the odds?" Brock said.

"Am I missing something?" Dawn asked. "Why those two Pokémon?"

"Those were the Pokémon I had to face in my first ever Gym battle in Pewter city. And Brock was the Gym leader." Ash said.

"Wow, you were a Gym Leader?" asked Dawn.

"Yup. But I decided that I like to be a Pokémon Breeder. So here I am. "

"So Brock, I want you to hold on to Quilava's Pokéball for me. Lita, I won't be using you either. I know you're strong, but you'll have to be stronger before I reveal you. Just watch the battle, okay?"

"Okay Ash." Replied Lita.

Ash handed Brock Quilava and Latias' Pokéballs before entering the gym. He couldn't have more than six Pokémon with him to choose from in an official battle, after all. They reached the gym and met Roark, the gym leader.

"I'm here to challenge the Oreburgh gym. Will you battle me?" Ash asked.

"Of course. That's my job. Is this your first gym battle?" said Roark.

"Nope. This'll be the fourth Pokémon league tournament I'll be competing in."

"An experienced challenger, eh? Alright, let's battle." Roark said with a smirk.

They reached the gym's battlefield and shook hands. The referee explained that the battle will be three on three.

"Alright, I'll start things off with Geodude!"

Upon seeing the floating rock with two arms, Ash smirked and Brock sweat dropped.

"Go, Turtwig!"

"Begin!" the referee said.

"Geodude, use Rock Throw!"

"Dodge them Turtwig. Then use Razor leaf!"

Turtwig dodged the falling rocks. His speed had improved courtesy of training with Bulbasaur. He found it easier to dance and flow between the rocks thrown at him. His Razor leaf attack connected and dealt with some damage.

"Turtwig has become really agile." Dawn commented. Lita nodded. Nowhere near her level in speed, but impressive for a Turtwig.

"Geodude, use Hidden Power!"

The attack hit Turtwig and he flinched.

"Now, use Rollout attack!" Roark decided to keep on attacking.

"Bad idea" Dawn commented, remembering her battles with Turtwig. Ironic how a newbie recognized the danger than a veteran gym leader.

"Mega Drain now!"

Geodude was stopped on his tracks as green vines sapped up his energy. He began to feel fatigued and weak.

"Continue with Rollout!" Roark said, hoping to hit Turtwig at close range.

"Got you now! Use Razor leaf!" Ash employed the same strategy as he did with Dawn.

The Razor leaf attack nailed a direct hit. Geodude was panting from exhaustion and injuries.

"Seismic toss now!" Roark knew this could backfire, but after seeing Turtwig's speed, he decided that Rock Throw wouldn't work. He didn't have much more options.

Geodude grabbed Turtwig to execute Seismic toss. Ash immediately countered, however.

"Leech Seed now!"

In the close range, the Leech seed hit its target and drained the energy Geodude had left. Geodude felt darkness claim him as he dropped to the floor, unmoving. His grip on Turtwig slackened, and Turtwig extracted himself, looking proud at his victory.

"Geodude is unable to battle. Turtwig is the winner!" the referee declared. Roark thanked Geodude and chose a different Pokéball.

"Was Ash always this good, Brock?" Lita asked.

"He always had a knack to think out of the box, but he's really matured a lot as a trainer since he came to Sinnoh. He's never really taken advantage of his opponent's moves so much before." Brock replied.

"Let's see you beat Onix!" he shouted while throwing the Pokéball. It released a gigantic snake made of rocks. Ash smirked again and Brock did an anime fall. "Are we rock type gym leaders really that predictable?" he mumbled.

Ash decided to continue with Turtwig, he needed all the experience he could get. The referee signaled for the battle to begin.

"Onix, use Iron tail!"

The gigantic tail began to glow white. Turtwig panicked and the attack hit. This caused the already exhausted Turtwig to faint.

"One hit?" Lita asked incredulously.

"Well, there's size to consider, and Turtwig was really exhausted." Brock explained. The bigger they are, the harder they hit… or something like that.

_Wow, that Onix is strong_ Ash thought. _Better leave this to someone more experienced._

"Great job, Turtwig. Take a good rest." He took out another Pokéball and chose his second Pokémon.

"Go, Corphish!"

The Hoenn water type materialized in front of the gigantic rock snake, not looking the least bit intimidated.

"Sticking with type advantage, eh? It'll take more than that to beat me!" Roark smired. "Use Slam attack!"

"Corphish's much more than a battler with an advantage. Corphish, Bubblebeam!"

The Bubblebeam stopped the Slam attack. That was saying something. Onix flinched from the direct hit of the effective attack.

_That's a strong Bubblebeam. Must be one of his experienced battlers_ Roark thought. "Alright Onix, use Bind!"

"Use Crab Hammer now!"

Corphish tried in vain to escape the Binds closing in on him with his pincers, but failed.

"Fire a Bubblebeam at Onix's face!" Ash went for his usual strategy. Turn the opponent's attack against them. It was amazing how much that worked. It was like chess. Some moves were good, but there were others that could have you lose the match.

The Bubblebeam hit Onix. Onix flinched and his bind loosened. Corphish broke free and hit Onix with a stronger Crab Hammer.

"Onix, Double edge!"

"Use Dig to get away!"

"Follow it, Onix!" Roark commanded immediately. Onix followed Corphish underground.

Ash grinned. "Now, Corphish, turn around and use Bubblebeam!" Again, using the opponent's move against him was a lot easier than trapping him somehow. He was good at this game.

Still underground, Corphish complied. Onix had no time to respond as a flood of Bubbles hit him on the face. Onix fainted under the constant bombardment.

"Onix is unable to battle! Corphish wins!" the referee declared.

"That was an intense battle sequence. Ash really can think at his feet." Lita said admiringly.

"Now I know what he meant when he said that the contest battles are different." Dawn said thoughtfully. Such intense battles are not seen graceful in contests.

"Good job, Onix, return." Roark said. He turned to Ash. "That was a good strategy. It's been a while since I've had a strong challenger. Now, get ready to face my final Pokémon, and my strongest."

"Gladly, Roark! We're ready for anything!" said Ash. Corphish shared his trainer's enthusiasm.

"Then I choose Cranidos!" said Roark.

Ash checked out Cranidos in his Pokédex. He decided to continue with Corphish.

"Let the final battle begin!" the referee said.

**Meanwhile, near Oreburgh mines**

A helicopter landed near the mine, in a clearing not immediately visible from the city. It had a letter 'G' on it and out of it came about ten people dressed in identical uniforms. They all had the symbol G on their uniform and had identical appearances. Following them, a red haired woman wearing a similar uniform appeared. One of the grunts saluted her.

"Commander Mars, we're ready for the mission." he said.

"Alright, listen up! We received intel that these mines are being used for some sort of archeological research. Charon leaked some information from the Pokémon League's Archeology Committee. Apparently, they made some discovery about the origin of Sinnoh. As this may be relevant to us, we'll be paying them a little visit."

"Yes Ma'am!" the grunts shouted as one. They proceeded through the mines, after disabling any miners who stood in their way. Soon, they reached a walled off section of the mines.

"Off limits to public" Mars read from a signboard placed at the entrance. "Well, nice of them to put a welcome sign." She smirked. She called out one of her Pokémon. "Purugly, use Iron tail on the door!"

The door was smashed to pieces under the force of the Iron tail. They met some researchers in the entry hall.

"What are you doing? This is a restricted area! We'll have you arrested!" one of the researchers shouted, infuriated.

"Just try it!" said Mars. The grunts released their Pokémon that surrounded the researchers.

"Now," said Mars smirking. "Bring us the archeologist who works here. We have a few things we'd like to ask him. Oh, and tell him to bring his findings too." she said. TThis was pathetically easy.

One of the scientists, visibly shaking, headed towards another room. He returned a minute later.

"He's coming." The man said. Marss didn't notice the slightest grin that flashed on the man's face. Footsteps could be heard from the hall leading inside the facility.

"You know," a male voice said "It's really not a good idea to come into excavation sites that are off limits. You'll never know what you may find."

The person who stepped outside was a young man, and the most worrying thing about him was that he was grinning. That, and the fact that he was followed by a Metagross. Recognizing the man, the grunts paled and took a step back. Mars bit back a curse.

"You! What are you doing here?" she demanded. Of course, she recognized him too.

"How rude! I do have a name you know. It's Stone" the man grinned wider. "Steven Stone."

**A/N**:

26/01/2013

My heartfelt thanks to Shaydrall for helping me shape this into a better chapter. I know it's a bother for you to review, but it helps us out a lot! Just a few minutes before you go to the next chapter, please?


	6. A Galactic setback!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. The characters and other elements of this story are the copyrighted property of Pokémon or its affiliates and licensors. This fan fiction is purely for enjoyment and no desire of profit comes out of it.**

**Chapter 6**

**A Galactic Setback!**

**Oreburgh City Gym**

The crustacean Pokémon and the dinosaur Pokémon eyed each other with determination. Corphish was mildly panting with exhaustion because of his battle with Onix. Cranidos, fresh out of his Pokéball, looked confident.

"Ash has two Pokémon left. He has the advantage now, right?" Dawn asked.

"Well, technically, that's true. But you can never tell with gym leaders. Usually, they save their strongest for the last." Brock replied.

"I'm sure Corphish and Ash can pull through." said Lita, confident in her trainer's abilities.

"Corphish, use Crabhammer!" Ash commanded. Corphish's pincers began to glow white and he moved towards Cranidos.

"Cranidos, Double Team!" Roark countered.

Multiple copies of Cranidos surrounded Corphish. Corphish became confused and began to search for Cranidos frantically.

"Calm down, Corphish. Use Bubblebeam to sweep through the fakes and find the real one." Ash instructed.

Corphish calmed down. He aimed towards the Cranidos in front of him and fired Bubblebeam. The copy disappeared. He began to spin and the Bubblebeam began to sweep through the arena.

"Jump to dodge, Cranidos. Then, use Head smash!"

Cranidos jumped to avoid collision, cancelling the remaining copies. The fossil Pokémon rocketed towards his opponent and the head smash hit its target. Corphish staggered back from the impact.

"Cranidos, follow up with Shockwave!"

"Shockwave? Quick Corphish, Dig!" Ash said quickly.

Corphish couldn't regain his balance in time to execute dig and got hit by the Shockwave at full force. Electricity surged through the water type's body, leaving burn marks at its wake.

"Don't give up, Corphish! Dig and get away!" Ash shouted desperately.

Corphish tried to move its pincers, which protested from the pain. Struggling, he began to dig the ground furiously to build a safe retreat. Soon, he was able to bury himself under a mass of soil, thus nullifying any further affect for electric attacks.

_That was too close. Corphish would have lost if that kept up. Good thing he learned Dig._ Ash thought. _I can't afford to underestimate Roark anymore. That Cranidos is at a much higher level than Onix._

"Dig sure comes in handy." Dawn commented.

"Yeah, it's one of the most useful moves when it comes to avoiding attacks. Of course, you'll have to be careful or the opponent can use it against you." Brock answered.

"How?" Dawn was confused at this point. Ash had a knack for turning opponent's moves against them, but she would've thought that Dig would be a safe retreat.

"Imagine what would happen if the opponent knows Earthquake." Lita told the coordinator. The pressure and the seismic waves would cause a much higher damage to a Pokémon that's actually underground when the move is used. Dawn understood the implications too.

"You really have to be careful when ordering a move, huh?" Dawn asked rhetorically.

"Yeah, but that's something that comes with experience." Brock added.

"Cranidos, Focus Energy."

Cranidos, who was looking for any sign of Corphish, stopped his panic and focused. He began to store energy to increase the strength of his attacks.

"Corphish, use Crabhammer."

Corphish came out with his pincers glowing again. This time, the attack hit Cranidos and it flinched from the effective move.

"Follow up with Bubblebeam!" Ash said, deciding to go on the offensive.

"Cranidos, Head smash again!"

Cranidos launched himself against Corphish. Cranidos pushed through the barrage of Bubblebeam and hit Corphish, causing significant damage.

"Crabhammer now!" Ash said, as Cranidos was once again near Corphish.

Corphish's Crabhammer nailed a hit again and Cranidos flinched. Roark decided that now was a good time to finish the battle. Cranidos couldn't take much more punishment.

"Shockwave again!"

The shockwave hit Corphish again and Corphish struggled.

"Use Dig again!" Ash shouted. Corphish looked very much hurt and worn out already.

"Oh no you don't! Assurance!"

Before Corphish had time to shake off the attack, Cranidos' Assurance hit him, doing double damage.

"Oh no!" Dawn cried, worried.

"This might be it for Corphish. That attack sure looked powerful" said Brock. Roark was much stronger than he had expected.

"Corphish won't give up so easily" Lita said, sensing a sudden increase in energy within Corphish.

True to Lita's words, Corphish began to glow white. He was tired of being pushed around. He let free the energy he had begun to feel for a while now. This would change him for the better. Ash wanted him to win, so he would win for his trainer. Corphish began to increase in size in front of everyone. His pincers became larger and his body became more durable. When the glow faded, a Crawdaunt stood in place of Corphish.

"Wow, Crawdaunt! You've evolved! Now it's time to win this!" Ash said, excited. His Pokémon didn't want to let him down, and Ash shared the feeling.

Curious, Dawn checked her Pokédex.

"Crawdaunt, the Rogue Pokémon and the evolved form of Corphish. Crawdaunt are short-tempered, and quick to challenge opponents to battle. It can use it's pincers to pick up and throw smaller Pokémon." The machine said.

"That's a stubborn Pokémon, but the same can be said for Cranidos." Roark mused.

Crawdaunt smirked at the now smaller Cranidos. It looked downright scary.

"Crawdaunt, use BubbleBeam now!" Ash commanded.

Crawdaunt pointed its pincers toward Cranidos and launched BubbleBeam. Cranidos didn't have time to dodge and the attack hit him full force. Cranidos was pushed back due to the sheer force. Cranidos recovered, but looked badly hurt.

"Cranidos, Shockwave again!" Roark commanded, desperate to take Crawdaunt down.

Before Cranidos could regain concentration, however, Crawdaunt slashed the air. A crescent shaped dark energy formed which hit Cranidos immediately. The shockwave attack failed.

"Crawdaunt learned Night Slash!" Lita exclaimed. She had sensed the dark energy as she was a Psychic. She usually didn't like the feeling, but Crawdaunt was one of her fellow Pokémon.

"Great job, Crawdaunt! Now use Crabhammer!" Ash said, relieved that the shockwave didn't hit.

Crawdaunt moved towards Cranidos at high speed, intent on finishing the battle. His pincers glowed brightly as he stored energy for the Crab Hammer.

"Head smash now!" Roark shouted desperately. The attacks collided and both Pokémon were pushed back. Both Pokémon stood staring at each other, having gained a mutual respect. Eventually, Cranidos hit the ground and fainted. Crawdaunt smirked and raised its pincers in victory, before succumbing to unconsciousness.

The referee declared that Cranidos lost the battle as he was first to go down. Ash was declared victorious. Both trainers thanked their Pokémon and returned them to their Pokéballs.

"That was an excellent battle, Ash. It's been a while since I've been defeated this badly. I can see that I still have a lot to learn." Roark said.

"Thanks Roark. I learned a lot from our battle too!" Ash replied, smiling.

"As proof of your victory at the Oreburgh Gym, I present to you the Coal Badge!"

Ash reverently took the badge. He held it high and did a one eighty degree turn, badge outstretched.

"Yes! We won a Coal Badge!" he shouted.

"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu joined him. The rest of the group sweat dropped.

"I take it he does that often?" Dawn asked.

"You have no idea" said Brock.

**Meanwhile, inside Oreburgh mines**

Mars thought it would be a simple assignment when Cyrus asked her to retrieve any and all data found at the 'excavation site' inside the Oreburgh Mines. The operation was proceeding smoothly. Too smoothly, but she didn't realize that. She was having the time of her life, watching the researchers shake in fear.

Now, as the same researchers changed to uniformed cops, Mars realized that the assignment was not simple at all. In fact, she was sure this was a trap. What further confirmed her suspicions was the man standing before her. Steven Stone, the master of steel types and the Champion of Hoenn. A thousand questions whirled in her head. How did this happen? How did the police even know of them, they were mostly operating in secret. The champion's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Operation Galactic capture. Phase one: Ambush complete." Steven smirked. The Police began to take out handcuffs.

"Fools! Fight back! Choose your Pokémon!" Mars shouted. "Go, Bronzor, Yanmega!"

All around her, the grunts called out their Pokémon. Soon, the champion was outnumbered twenty five to one in Pokémon.

"What are you going to do now, Champion?" she asked mockingly.

Steven grinned and said two words. "Metagross, Psychic."

All around her, Mars saw many Pokémon begin to defy the laws of gravity. Many of them were slammed forcefully to the ground, while the others were assaulted with Psychic powers. Even her Bronzor and Yanmega fainted from the sheer power of the attacks. Only her Purugly remained standing, though shakily. They were surrounded by twenty four fainted Pokémon.

_What insane strength!_ Mars thought. "Purugly, use-"

"Meteor Mash" Steven commanded. Purugly soon joined the heap of unconscious Pokémon.

"It pains me to hurt so many Pokémon. But it was necessary. Now, you're under arrest for trespassing. We'll add charges as we find out more." Steven said.

"Retreat!" Mars ordered. They turned around to the way they came, only to find it blocked by a Lucario. Behind the Lucario was a man dressed in blue with a blue hat.

"Now, now, no need to rush!" said the newcomer. "Let's have a nice tea at the headquarters of the Pokémon G-Men."

_An Aura Guardian._ Mars realized, recognizing the uniform that was similar to the one used from ancient times.

"Excellent timing Riley." Said Steven. "But, aren't you forgetting something?" He asked smirking.

"What? Oh, right. Protocol." Riley said.

"Operation Galactic capture. Phase two: Surround. Complete" he too, grinned.

Mars cursed. There was no way out, except one. She decided to take it, she was much more valuable to Team Galactic than the grunts. She recalled her Pokémon. The grunts did the same, assuming they were surrendering. They had no other option, at least that's what they thought.

"Mars to base. Code Zero. I repeat, Code Zero."

'What's a Code Zero?' Steven wondered.

"Whatever you've planned, it won't work. I and Riley can take on anyone who your base may send." Steven said, deciding she was calling for backup.

"Oh, the base won't be sending anyone here. I'll be going there." Mars smirked. Then, she disappeared.

"What? She teleported?" asked a bewildered Riley.

"Yes" said Steven, frustrated. "It seems they have a backup plan for their higher ranked officers. They must have a Pokémon in the base that kept locked to her signal. They teleported her out when the time came."

"At least we got the grunts" Riley sighed.

"I suppose. We'll see what we can get out of them."

The Police began to arrest the grunts. Seeing that their commander abandoned them, they didn't put up much of a fight. Steven and Riley walked out of the mine.

"Let's go inform Roark that the operation is over." Riley said.

"Yeah. It was nice of your friend to help us out like that." Said Steven. He recalled Metagross. Riley kept Lucario out of his Pokéball, so they walked together. People were curious to see the Lucario and the trainer wearing the strange outfit. Steven was relieved that no one had recognized him yet. He'd be mobbed if anyone found out.

They reached the Gym and saw Roark heading outside with a group of people. Steven was surprised to see Ash and Brock again.

"Steven? Wow, it's good to see you again" said Ash. Brock recognized him too and shook hands. Roark and Riley were surprised that the champion knew this trainer.

"Do you know this kid, Steven?" asked Riley.

"Yes I do. Meet Ash Ketchum" said Steven. Riley's eyes widened. He recognized that name. Lance had told them about the kid who helped to stop Team Aqua and Magma in Hoenn. He never expected him to be so young. Riley frowned as he sensed something about the boy. He extended his aura and probed the youngster before him. He almost fell on his back in shock when he got a good look at Ash's aura. _His Aura is near Guardian level!_ But he knew that Ash was not an Aura Guardian. They were so few that Riley personally knew all of them.

The group was bemused seeing a variety of emotions pass through Riley's face. His Lucario was busy staring at Lita. He sensed an incredible amount of Psychic energy coming from the girl. Using his aura, he found out that she was not human at all.

_Could this be the legendary Mew?_ Lucario thought, having heard of Mew's shape-shifting powers. He decided to tell Riley later, as Mew was closely associated to the tree of beginning, the birthplace of Aura. He was almost sure that the girl was a Legendary at least; no human could hold such power. Her psychic potential was greater than what he had sensed in Steven's Metagross, and that was saying something.

"Never mind him, he's like that sometimes" said Roark. He had seen Riley use Aura abilities; they were childhood friends after all.

Riley snapped out of his thoughts. He was embarrassed by the stares he was receiving.

"Ah, sorry. My name is Riley Gen. Nice to meet you."

The rest of the group introduced themselves. They began to walk back to the gym. Ash didn't know why Riley looked so familiar.

"Sorry, but have I seen you somewhere before?" Ash asked.

"No, I don't think so." Riley replied, confused.

"Now that you mention it, he does look sorta familiar. Even Lucario… wait a minute. He looks just like Sir Aaron!" Brock exclaimed.

Ash's eyes widened in realization. "Yeah, you're right. He looks like that portrait we saw back in Cameran Palace!"

Riley was now extremely interested. _The boy has been to Cameran? Perhaps he is a Guardian I didn't know about. _"You've been to Cameran Palace?" he asked.

"Yeah! I participated last year in the tournament they hold. I was the 'Guardian of Aura' last year!" Ash told him.

Riley sweat dropped. _Not the kind of Aura guardian I was thinking about._

"So… are you related to Sir Aaron?" Ash asked.

"No… Perhaps it's the uniform that makes us look more similar than we actually are." Riley explained.

"Unifom?" Dawn asked, who was extremely confused by the turn of events.

"Yeah. You see, what I'm wearing is the uniform of an Aura Guardian. It's similar to the ones used in ancient times." Riley said.

"Aura… Guardian?" Dawn was still confused.

_Can't blame her, not a lot of people know about Aura nowadays. _Riley thought.

"You see Dawn, Aura is a kind of energy that every living being has within them. The humans that can manipulate this energy are called Aura Guardians. There used to be many Aura Guardians long ago, but there are only a few of them nowadays." Steven answered for Riley. He wasn't an expert, but Riley was usually his partner in missions involving the G-Men. He picked these things up from Riley.

"I didn't know Aura Guardians still existed! That's so cool! Can you use Aura?" Ash was very excited.

"Yeah, I'll show you sometime." Riley told him. He was determined to talk to Ash anyway. Users of aura were few and far between. He wouldn't let this art be lost in the annals of time. Ash has enormous potential as an Aura Guardian, and he wouldn't let this opportunity go to waste. From the excitement Ash had shown, Riley didn't think he'd need to persuade the youngster much to learn about Aura.

"So, Steven, I'd like to ask you a big favor." Ash turned to the Hoenn champion.

"Oh? What is it Ash?" Steven asked.

"Will you battle me? I know I'm nowhere near your level, but I'd like to know how I'll fare against a champion." Ash requested.

Steven considered. He wanted to see how good the kid was for himself. After all, someone who defeated Brandon was bound to be good. "Well, I don't see any harm. Why not?" Steven grinned.

"Will you battle me as well?" another voice asked. The group turned to the source of the voice. It was Paul.

"Paul, are you here to challenge the gym?" Ash asked.

"I was, but I'd like a battle with the Hoenn Champion if it's okay with him" said Paul.

"Hey! I asked him first!" Ash said, a little childishly.

"Now now, there's no need for an argument. Why don't we make things more interesting and make this a tag battle? You and Paul can battle me and Riley."

Riley looked at Steven like he was crazy. Steven could single handedly take on both of them, and Riley himself was elite four level. He had rejected an offer to join the elite four of Sinnoh years ago so that he could train more in his Aura abilities.

"Well, I don't mind" said Ash, a little uncertainly. He was willing to bet that any Aura Guardian worth their salt would be a tough opponent, and from what he had seen of Paul, he was not impressed.

"I agree to that as well" said Paul, a bit reluctant himself. He didn't know what Riley was capable of, but his main focus was Steven.

"What do you say, Riley? Up for a tag battle?" said Steven. Truthfully, he could take on both of them. But, what fun would that be? He decided to go easy on them; he didn't want to knock their Pokémon out with one move, although he doubted he could accomplish that with Ash.

"Uh, sure. It's getting a bit late, we'll battle tomorrow afternoon." Said Riley.

Everyone agreed. Roark offered the gym to host the battle. After informing Roark that they were done 'exploring' the Oreburgh mine, Steven and Riley departed.

"What was that all about?" Riley asked. "Why do you want me to battle?"

"Come on. I haven't had a tag battle in ages! Besides, those two looked like rivals. Maybe this'll promote a good friendship" said Steven.

"Somehow, I doubt that" said Riley. He had noticed that they weren't exactly chummy when they talked.

"Anyway, you and Lucario were acting all weird back there. What happened?" Steven asked.

"It's that Ash kid. He's got Guardian level Aura. He's untrained though." said Riley.

"Is that normal?" asked Steven curiously.

"No, not at all. I have a hunch, but I don't know for sure. I'll need to talk to him. He seems to know a little about Aura though, as he suggested my resemblance to Sir Aaron. He did tell us he visited Cameran Palace. Anyone who went to Rota once is bound to hear about Aura. It's in the culture."

"Isn't that the kingdom near the Tree of Beginning?" Steven asked with interest.

"Yes. As I said, I'll talk to him. Did you sense anything other than what I did, Lucario?"

'No I didn't. I wasn't paying much attention to the boy, forgive me, master.' Lucario replied.

"Hey, that's alright. I assumed you'd have picked up on that, that's all." Riley could understand Pokémon speech due to his Aura abilities.

'I was distracted by the being known as Lita.' said Lucario.

"The 'being' known as Lita?" Riley asked, extremely confused.

'Indeed. I sensed an enormous Psychic energy within her. She is definitely not human. I think she's a legendary Pokémon, possibly Mew herself.'

Riley was dumbfounded for the second time that day. "A legendary? Mew!? Why didn't I sense that?" he wondered.

'You were probably more interested in the human that could probably be the Wielder of the Original Aura. I picked up his powers as well, and that is the only explanation that came to my mind.'

"You think so too, huh? Maybe, but history doesn't show us a Wielder of the Original Aura after Sir Aaron. I'll have to ask him about it. Maybe he's used Aura before."

'Perhaps. We'll have to wait and see. If he is indeed the one, it would be a great honor to have met him. And perhaps the other is Mew herself, but I cannot be sure of that.'

Riley could sense that Lucario was excited. Riley too, shared that feeling. Steven, however, was feeling lost, having only understood one side of the conversation. He did pick up something about the legendary Mew, and original wielder or something like that, but decided to ask Riley later. He was tired from the whole day's work.

**Back at the Oreburgh Gym**

"Paul, if we're working together, we'll need a strategy. What kind of Pokémon will you be using?" Ash asked.

"I'll be using Torterra. He's my best bet." Paul said. He disliked having to work with someone, but he knew they would lose the battle faster than he could say 'champion' if they didn't co-operate. "You?" he inquired.

"I have one in mind, but I'll keep it a surprise. Just know that he'll be a fire and flying type. Oh, and also my strongest Pokémon to date." Said Ash, grinning. He knew Pikachu could argue with that, but he chose to remain silent. Their strengths would be almost equal, but Charizard had incredible endurance and will to fight.

This got Paul's attention. 'His strongest? He has a Pokémon stronger than that Pidgeot? That's good for tomorrow, but bad for me in the league. I'll have to work harder.' Thinking of various strategies he could employ, he left the group.

"Are you sure about this Ash? I've seen that guy's battles in TV and his Pokémon are really strong." Said Lita. She watched Pokémon battles in TV occasionally with Bianca, and Steven was the Hoenn Champion.

"I may not win, but I'll try my best. I hope the same goes for Paul." Ash said. He had his doubts on how well they could work together, but promised himself to try his best.

"What's that Pokémon you told us about, Ash?" asked Dawn curiously.

"Oh, you'll see" said Ash, grinning. Brock too, smiled, as he knew who Ash was talking about. Latias was curious as well, but decided to wait.

As they returned to the Pokémon Centre, Ash left the others telling them that he had a few calls to make. He decided to send back Crawdaunt, Quilava and Pidgeot and then get the new set of Pokémon tomorrow, depending on if Charizard wanted to stay with him a bit longer or not. Following this, he called Liza of Charicific Valley.

"Hey Liza, how's it going?"

"Ash! I'm doing fine. I wasn't expecting you to call so soon, I thought you'd only need Charizard for the League tournament."

"Well, I need to battle a really strong trainer, and Charizard's my best bet."

"Well, who is this really strong trainer?" Liza asked curiously.

"Steven Stone." Ash replied simply.

Liza stared at Ash long and hard. After about a minute of silence, she said "Strange, you don't look crazy."

Ash sweat dropped. "That's because I'm not crazy. I may not be able to beat him now, but it'll be a good experience for me and Charizard."

Liza sighed. "Charizard's strong, Ash. In fact, he's now the strongest in this valley. But he's not ready to take on the elite four, much less a Champion. Are you sure about this?"

"Charizard and I'll pull through, don't worry. As I said, I don't expect to beat him."

"Okay then, I guess. There's no way I'm missing this, so I'll come over too" said Liza.

"But Charizard needs to battle tomorrow afternoon! He'd need to be in top condition. I was hoping you'd send him in his Pokéball. I have it with me."

"Well, I'll send him in his Pokéball if you send me the empty one. Where are you anyway?"

"I'm in the Sinnoh region. More specifically, in Oreburgh City" said Ash.

"I think I can still make it before the battle starts. I'll send Charizard in advance."

"Thanks. The battle will be at the Oreburgh Gym. It's a tag battle, mind you."

"Great. I hope your partner knows what he or she is doing." said Liza. Ash transferred his empty Pokéball and it soon returned with Charizard. Ash stepped outside the centre to meet his old friend.

**Galactic Headquarters, a few hours ago**

"You've disappointed me, Mars" said Cyrus in an emotionless tone. Mars had just returned from her failed mission, losing her entire team.

"Cyrus, Sir, we were tricked into an ambush. I had no other choice." Mars said, with her head bowed in shame.

"Even so, you had ten men with you. You were more than prepared." Said Cyrus.

"We were not prepared to fight the Hoenn Champion, sir."

This caught Cyrus' attention. "What? Explain."

"The man who ambushed us was none other than the Hoenn Champion Steven Stone, along with a friend of his. I think the other guy was an Aura Guardian. The champion's Metagross took out twenty four of our Pokémon with one move. We had no chance."

Cyrus' interest was piqued. "It seems that the Pokémon league is aware of our activities. We'll have to be more careful. I need a detailed report. Dismissed for now." Cyrus said. Mars bowed and left.

Even if he didn't show it, Cyrus was worried. He was sure he'd have Cynthia nosing around, and he could handle-or at least delay the Sinnoh Champion from acting, but if the Pokémon league was putting their entire man force behind it, they'd be in trouble. He had heard about Champion Lance Blackthorn's organization before. The Hoenn operations of Aqua and Magma failed according to _their_ intervention, from what reports he had gotten. The Pokémon G-Men. He didn't know who the members where, but Lance wasn't shy in mentioning his involvement. If the stunt at Oreburgh was any indication, they had some fearsome hurdles in their path.

**The next day, Oreburgh Gym**

Brock, Dawn, Lita and Roark sat in the sidelines, waiting for the tag battle to begin. Although Roark knew that Ash was a strong trainer, he knew Riley better. He was as strong as any of Sinnoh's elite four. Combined with Steven, he had no doubt on the outcome of this battle. But he wanted to see Ash's strongest in action. Dawn and Lita were curious as well, as Ash had not told them his choice. Ash glanced up to the sky and spotted a black dot approaching.

"Well, our final guest has arrived" said Ash.

"Why did you want to wait for her?" Paul asked, seeing Liza dismounting Charla.

"Let's just say I owe her" said Ash.

Liza introduced herself as the caretaker of Charicific valley. This gave Steven and Paul an idea about Ash's Pokémon.

"Alright, this is a tag battle between Ash Ketchum of Pallet town and Paul of Veilstone City versus the Hoenn Champion Steven Stone and Riley Gen. The battle will be over when both of either side's Pokémon are unable to continue. Please choose your Pokémon." The referee declared.

"Lucario, I choose you." Said Riley.

"Torterra, standby for battle." Paul ordered.

"Metagross, time to shine" Steven said, releasing his famed Pokémon.

Ash watched Metagross carefully. _So, that's his strongest Pokémon. Well, say hello to-_

"Charizard, I choose you!"

Charizard appeared without any of the usual fireworks. He had changed drastically. Gone was the arrogance that once dominated his behavior, or his tendency to show off. His stance spoke of power, and his face showed his vast experience and determination. He was larger than before, and had an impressive build. His appearance immediately caused several reactions. Riley and Steven remained calm, but the looks on their faces said that they began to consider this battle seriously. The aura of power in Charizard could not be overlooked. Dawn was impressed by his demeanor and looked up Charizard on her Pokédex. Lita could practically feel the power radiating from him. Lucario and Metagross too, looked more serious about the battle. Paul could feel the Pokémon's power as well, but decided to see it in action before judging it.

"Begin!" the referee said.

"Charizard, use Fire Spin!" Ash started off.

"Torterra, Earthquake."

"Metagross, Magnet Rise. Then use Psychic to redirect Fire Spin to Torterra."

"Lucario, jump on top of Metagross" said Riley.

The earth shook violently. The flaming and spinning vortex began to advance toward the steel Pokémon. But it was stopped in midair and launched towards Torterra. Metagross levitated and Lucario jumped on top of it, avoiding the Earthquake.

"Torterra, use Protect!" Paul ordered.

"Charizard, Fire a Dragonbreath through the Fire Spin!"

This move caught the others off guard. Charizard nullified the Psychic boosted Fire Spin with its Dragonbreath. The Dragonbreath continued towards Metagross and Lucario.

"Lucario, use Aura to shield yourself and Metagross." Riley commanded.

Lucario projected its Aura outward to form a protective dome around himself and Metagross. The advance of the Dragonbreath was halted in its tracks.

_That's not even a registered move._ Paul thought. _I'll have to pay attention to Riley as well._

"Metagross, Zen Head Butt now!" Steven said. He was interested to see how they would handle an offensive move.

A plan formed in Ash's mind. He turned to Paul. "Can Torterra withstand that? I have a plan."

"Of course he can." Paul scoffed. "Torterra, Frenzy Plant to stop that Metagross."

"Charizard, up in the air!"

Lucario jumped back to the ground. Charizard flew up and Torterra launched its strongest attack.

_Interesting, he used an offensive move for defense. But that won't stop Metagross._

True to Steven's thoughts, Metagross skillfully navigated the Frenzy Plant, dodging at the right instant. Its battle reflexes coupled with its intelligence made it a fearsome Pokémon.

"Earth Power!" Paul shouted.

The ground beneath Metagross began to erupt violently, but it still didn't stop Metagross. This time, it kept advancing despite the shards of rocks flying everywhere.

"Protect now!" Paul shouted desperately.

"Charizard, Overheat on Metagross, full power!"

Torterra formed a protective dome as Metagross collided with it. The force of the impact began to push Torterra back. White hot flames landed on Metagross, resulting in an explosion.

"Are you crazy? That Overheat will damage Torterra." Paul shouted, not out of concern for his Pokémon, but because it may cost them this match.

"Overheat will reduce the momentum of that strike. It won't affect Torterra as much as it will Metagross. If I hadn't done something, Torterra's shield would have broken and he would have received more damage."Ash said. Paul wanted to argue, but knew Ash was right.

"Lucario, Dragon Pulse on Charizard." Riley said, taking the opportunity. Lucario extended his Aura to locate Charizard and fired the Dragon Pulse. The attack hit Charizard and he flinched.

"How did it see where Charizard was?" Paul asked, bewildered.

"Aura, I think." Ash replied. That didn't help Paul much, though.

"That was an impressive Overheat, Ash. But it'll take more than that to make a difference." Steven said.

True to Steven's words, Metagross looked mostly unharmed when the smoke cleared. Charizard had a look of mild frustration on his face.

"How could that have done nothing?" Dawn asked, confused. She knew Metagross was at a type disadvantage.

"Metagross is a Pokémon with incredible endurance. Also, it covered itself with a Psychic shield before the attack hit." Lita replied. Riley took notice of this, and was confused at how a Pokémon could talk. Lita was silent the other day as Ash had told them her name. Riley was sure Lita was a Pokémon after using his Aura to probe her.

"Charizard, rapid fire Dragon Rage." Ash said.

"Counter with Aura Sphere." Riley commanded.

"Torterra, charge a Solar beam." Paul ordered.

"Metagross, Hyper Beam."

The Dragon Rage and Aura sphere attacks cancelled each other. The same could not be said for the other attacks, as Hyper Beam completely overwhelmed Solar Beam and hit Torterra. As the smoke from the resulting explosion cleared, Torterra was still standing, but was heavily damaged.

_I have to do something quick. I'll use one of Charizard's new attacks._

"Charizard, Heat Wave!"

Charizard immediately exhaled Heat Wave before the opposing Pokémon had a chance to counter. It hit both Lucario and Metagross, but Lucario was the only Pokémon who looked affected. It seems Metagross had psychically averted the flames from damaging him again.

_As I suspected, that Charizard is in a very high level._ Steven thought.

"When did Charizard learn Heat Wave?" Brock asked, surprised.

"Charizard picked up some nice moves from the valley. Wait till you see the others." Liza said, grinning.

"Alright, time to quit fooling around" said Riley. "Lucario, Extremespeed, then use the momentum to jump towards Charizard. Use Close Combat after."

Lucario used the momentum of Extremespeed to jump towards Charizard. Then, he followed with a variety of punches, kicks and chops delivered so fast the onlookers couldn't hope to keep up.

"Don't stand for it Charizard! Inferno!" Ash said.

"Inferno? Lucario, get out of there!" Riley shouted.

Lucario kicked Charizard on the chest to propel itself to the ground, but Charizard delivered the Inferno at point blank range. Blue flames hit the Aura Pokémon and sent it crashing to the ground. Riley cursed. That was a stupid mistake. That Charizard can fire attacks faster than most of the fire Pokémon he had seen before.

Lucario got up, but he looked injured. Blue flames again began to lick it, burning it.

"Lucario is burned" Steven commented. "Better wrap this up. Metagross, Meteor Mash on Charizard."

"Fly up, and get ready to use it!" Ash said.

_Use what? Metagross can withstand anything that Charizard can dish out._ Steven thought. "Follow it."

A chase began in the air, with Charizard on the lead. Charizard began to store up energy for its strongest attack. Metagross began to gain on him, however.

"Charizard, use it now! Blast Burn!" Ash shouted.

Charizard abruptly turned around and launched a steam of fire strong enough to melt steel. That was precisely what it was intended for. It hit Metagross at close range, but Metagross continued on and delivered the attack. The attack hit and Charizard began to drop from the sky.

"Charizard, no!" Ash shouted in worry.

"Now, Lucario, Dragon Pulse on Torterra!" Riley said, while Paul was distracted with the battle in the sky.

Paul snapped his attention back to Torterra. "Protect now!" he shouted. The Dragon Pulse landed on the shield, but it still did some damage. Nearby, Charizard crash landed.

"Well, that's it for Charizard." Steven said Confidently.

"You're underestimating him." Ash said simply.

"I think you may be over-What? Impossible!" Steven exclaimed. Yup, Charizard just got back up. He did look worn out, however.

"Oh please, like a punch and a fall would knock out Charizard." Liza snorted.

"A punch and a fall? That was a Meteor Mash and Charizard dropped from about two hundred feet high!" Dawn said disbelievingly.

"That's like his warm up routine" Liza said.

True to her words, Charizard didn't look all that injured. That and the fact that Steven's Metagross was damaged form the Blast Burn spoke volumes of Charizard's strength. Metagross was unable to conjure up a Psychic shield strong enough in time.

"Well, I'll give it this much, Charizard's tough." Said Steven with a smile. He was impressed by its endurance. Not many Pokémon shrugged off Metagross' Meteor Mash.

"Torterra, Earthquake" Paul commanded, as Charizard once again took to the air. Metagross was already levitating, and Lucario jumped up to climb on top of it.

"Not so fast! Iron Tail!" Ash shouted. Charizard's tail glowed white and batted Lucario away to the ground, and Earthquake hit it full force. Lucario was hit with the force of the Earthquake, which damaged him. He stood up again, albeit shakily.

"Is it just me, or are they targeting only Lucario?" Riley asked.

"They want to take you down quickly so that they can concentrate on me." Steven said.

"Great, I'm flattered" Riley said sarcastically. "_Lucario, time to get serious"_ Riley said telepathically.

"_About time Master"_ Lucario replied.

Suddenly, Lucario vanished from view and delivered a powerful Force Palm on Torterra. This was followed by a barrage of punches and kicks, and Torterra looked ready to faint after that assault.

"Giga Drain" Paul said, confused as to why Lucario was acting on its own.

Lucario quickly jumped up while kicking Torterra, switching targets to Charizard.

"Dragon Rage now!" Ash said, knowing that Riley was commanding Lucario mentally. He had faced a similar situation with Anabel.

The Dragon Rage was met with Aura Sphere and Lucario jumped back to stand beside Metagross. He was enveloped by blue flames. Lucario flinched. Burn was affecting it again.

"Charizard, get hold of Lucario!"

Charizard swooped in faster than Riley could command him. He was airborne while holding Lucario.

"Spin and use Fire Spin while ascending!" Ash said triumphantly.

Despite Riley's silent commands, Lucario was unable to break free of Charizard's strong grip. He had used the same move on fellow Charizard from the valley before. Lucario was easier to keep contained, as raw physical strength wasn't really its area.

"Metagross, use Psychic to separate them." Steven said.

"Launch that Solarbeam towards Metagross, Torterra!" Paul commanded with triumph.

Torterra, who had already charged up a Solar Beam, launched it immediately. Steven quickly instructed Metagross to block it with Psychic, as he didn't want Metagross to take any more damage than necessary. Metagross had to split his Psychic between Charizard, who was going up, and the Solar Beam, that was coming towards it. This didn't work very well, and Metagross failed to rescue Lucario.

"Now, Flaming Seismic Toss!" Ash commanded.

Charizard reached the peak of its ascent and looped in circles to disorient Lucario, all the while burning it with Fire Spin. After the third loop, he began a steep descent and let go of Lucario as he neared the ground. Lucario crashed to the ground. Charizard unexpectedly got hit by a Solarbeam, courtesy of Metagross' Psychic.

"Lucario, No!" Riley shouted.

"Earthquake!" Paul yelled, using the opportunity. It hit Lucario and any will to fight he had left him as he succumbed to unconsciousness.

"Lucario is unable to battle!" The referee declared. Riley thanked and recalled him.

"Phew, that was close. Maybe now, they can actually win." Dawn said.

"I don't know, Torterra is heavily damaged and Charizard is looking exhausted as well." Lita said. "Not to mention Metagross is still not that much damaged."

"What? But I thought that Blast Burn should have done a lot of damage!" Dawn exclaimed.

"To a normal Metagross, yes. But Steven's Metagross is his strongest Pokémon. It has more endurance, from all the battled it had fought before." Roark said.

"Aww... Looks like I'm all alone now. I'll have to even the odds." Steven said.

"Charizard, Inferno!" Ash shouted, fearing Steven's retaliation.

"Torterra, Frenzy Plant!" Paul, too decided to attack before being attacked.

"Use Psychic to redirect Inferno!" Steven ordered. The inferno attack turned around and burned through the Frenzy Plant before hitting Torterra. Unable to take anymore punishment, Torterra fainted.

"Thanks a lot" Paul murmured sarcastically to Ash, recalling Torterra.

Ash was irritated, but decided to ignore him. "Use Dragon Claw!"

"Confusion, Now!" Steven ordered. The attack distracted Charizard, and he got confused. He began to shoot flames in every direction, disoriented by the mental attack.

"Charizard, you gotta calm down!" Ash shouted in panic. It was not working, however.

"Use Giga Impact!" Steven commanded. Metagross advanced forward and rammed into Charizard with the powerful move. Still confused, Charizard was unable to avoid it. He crashed into the wall, partially destroying it.

Deciding that no Pokémon can stand up, let alone fight, after that, the referee slowly began to raise his flag.

"Charizard is unable-"

He was interrupted, however, by a fierce roar from Charizard's direction. Steven, Riley, and Paul all looked wide eyed at the rubble, to see Charizard getting up. Ash was the only one not too surprised, and said "Awesome Charizard! We're not done yet!"

A red aura began to envelope Charizard, and the flame in its tail grew to ridiculous proportions. Charizard's eyes opened, filled with burning determination.

_Blaze_ Paul thought. _And Charizard seems to be in total control. This Pokémon will be tough to beat._ Paul was already evaluating his chances for the Sinnoh League.

The same thought was running through the minds of all the trainers who recognized the ability. Brock explained it to Dawn and Lita.

"Charizard, use Flare Blitz!" Ash instructed, eager to use the new move Charizard had learned and hadn't used yet.

Charizard further cloaked itself in flaming Aura and darted towards Metagross.

"Metagross, use Psychic."

The viewers could only gape in shock as the seemingly unstoppable Charizard was halted in midair. A blue aura surrounded the red one, indicating that he was trapped in the Psychic attack.

_The more you resist Psychic, the harder it is to get out._ Steven thought. "Finish this with Gyro Ball!" Steven said with finality. Metagross spun at high speeds and hit Charizard as soon as the attack registered and Charizard once again crashed to the wall. Only this time, he didn't get up.

"Charizard is unable to battle." The referee said, after making sure. "The victors of this tag battle are Steven Stone and Riley Gen."

"Thank you, Charizard, you did great. We'll get stronger, don't worry." Ash said. He then gazed at Metagross. _So that's the power of a Champion's Pokémon. I still have a long way to go._

"That was an excellent battle you two" Steven commented. "Your teamwork could use some work, though. Your Charizard is truly strong, Ash, you've raised him well."

"Thank you, Steven. But Liza did most of the raising" Ash said, slightly embarrassed.

"Don't be stupid, Ash. He was already a Charizard when he came to the valley. You're responsible for his early development, and it's because of that that he's this strong now." Liza said.

"Anyway, thank you for battling us" Ash said. Paul nodded.

"Well, I always love a challenge. Besides, I owe you, don't I?" Steven asked, smirking slightly.

"You do?" Ash asked, confused.

"You helped Lance save Hoenn from Team Aqua and Team Magma. As the champion of Hoenn, I thank you for that."

"Ah, I just did what anyone would have done" Ash replied modestly. Paul looked on, slightly curious, wondering what he did. Dawn made a note to ask Ash about it later. Paul excused himself, and the rest of the group walked to the Pokémon centre soon afterwards. Steven, Riley and Ash handed Nurse Joy their Pokémon.

"Ash, I'd like to talk to you, and possibly Lita as well. Is it alright with you two?" Riley asked.

Ash looked at Lita, who nodded. "Sure thing" he said, a little confused.

**Post A/N:** And Cliffhanger No.2, although this is not much of one.

A long chapter, but I hope you liked it. I'm not entirely satisfied about the tag battle, but the participants were in entirely different levels, so I think I did my best. Ash lost in the end because Steven was in a completely different level. This will inspire him to work harder. What's the fur if he became unbeatable overnight? XD

Also, here's my measure of a Pokémon trainers' strength. I've made a leveling system, with Level 1 indicating Newbie trainers and Level 6 indicating Champions. It's based on the **average** strength of the trainer and his Pokémon. I've given a few examples.

Level 1: Almost all rookie trainers in Anime, including Trip.(Trip cannot, and will not, defeat Ash anytime soon if I have something to say about it).

Level 2: Ash during Orange Islands.

Level 2+: Ash while battling Drake. Barry

Level 3: Drake of Orange Islands, Ash **during** Silver conference. (Ash _**remained**_ in this level in the anime, occasionally jumping to Level 3+ when defeating Brandon. You may not agree with me, but this was a result of Ash giving the rest of his team a break, and depending completely on new Pokémon he caught.)

Level 3+: Paul(as he is now), the rest of the frontier brains, Gary Oak(As he is now)

BTW, Paul cannot defeat Brandon while in level 3+ because almost all his Pokémon are the same level. But while Ash was level 3+ while defeating him, the Pokémon he used were mostly at the top of his team, and there was a high skill difference between them and the others.

Level 4: Brandon, Ash Ketchum(as he is now)

Level 4+: Tobias(As shown in anime, at Sinnoh league), Riley(As he is now. This is because he is no longer a full Pokémon trainer, and his other Pokémon are no longer elite level, being out of shape a little), Brandon when he appears in Snowpoint City. I think he has gotten stronger. Pokémon hunter J can also be put in this level, given how good that Salamance is.

Level 5: The elite four of all regions.

Level 6: Champions Lance Blackthorn, Steven Stone, Cynthia Shirona, Wallace (He's a Contest Master, not a Champion in my opinion.), Alder(In Unova, but he probably won't appear in this story).

Kanto doesn't currently have a separate Champion. Some may argue that it is Red, but it is not specified in the anime and I haven't read the Manga. Lance is Champion of Kanto and Johto.


	7. The Weilder of the Original Aura

**Chapter 7**

**A/N: **

There's a 3 page long extended version of the legend of the Original one in this chapter. It's important, so please bear with me and read it fully. It essentially sets the plot base. I just thought I'd warn you earlier.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. The characters and other elements of this story are the copyrighted property of Pokémon or its affiliates and licensors. This fan fiction is purely for enjoyment and no desire of profit comes out of it.**

**Chapter 7**

**The Wielder of the Original Aura**

Ash and Lita followed the blue clad Aura Guardian and his Lucario into a clearing near Oreburgh City. Riley had told them that he wanted to talk to them about something. They reached a clearing and Riley motioned them to sit, while he sat on a rock outcropping.

"Thank you for coming here." Riley said, turning to them.

"No problem Riley, but what's with all the secrecy?" Ash asked.

"I wanted to discuss something very important with you. I ask you to please trust me and answer a few of my questions honestly." Riley said, looking at Ash straight in the eye. This was incredibly important to him.

"Alright" Ash replied, still confused.

Riley took a deep breath. This is it. "Is Lita the Legendary Mew?" Riley asked, suddenly looking at her. He prayed that his theory wouldn't be completely ridiculous. But then again, who else could she be?

Ash was taken by surprise. He didn't know how to answer that question. He looked helplessly at Lita. It was her secret too.

_I think he's okay. He's an Aura Guardian and they always help people and Pokémon._ Lita replied the unasked question telepathically. She had definitely heard of Aura guardians before. She could, to some degree, sense the Aura too. She was a psychic, after all, and even if she hadn't known it before, she could feel it within this man and Lucario. Now that she knew what it felt like, she saw that the raven haired teen beside her too had a considerable amount within him, although it seemed to be hidden or something. It also felt ma bit… different, somehow.

"What made you think that?" Ash asked, uncharacteristically cautious. When it came to Latias, he could never be too careful.

"Well, as I told you yesterday, I'm an Aura Guardian. I can read the Aura of all living beings. My Lucario sensed that Lita was an extremely powerful Psychic yesterday. Too strong, in fact, to be human or a simple Psychic Pokémon. I probed further using Aura and found that Lita is a Pokémon I've never seen before. I've heard of the shape-shifting powers of the Legendary Mew, so I guessed her identity." Riley replied.

"Well, you're half right" Lita replied. "I am a Legendary, but not Mew."

Riley and Lucario were surprised by this, and a bit awed that there was another legendary that had Psychic abilities strong enough to be comparable to Mew. Of course, they knew nothing of the extent of the powers Mew had, either.

"I am Latias, the eon dragoness. I'm flattered you compare me to Mew, but truthfully, she's a much stronger Psychic than me." Lita said, and transformed into her true form.

Riley and Lucario were struck speechless by the Legendary Pokémon. They had heard about the eon dragons, but seeing one was new for them. Lucario promptly bowed.

'I am honored to meet you, Guardian of the Lands of Water.' Lucario said.

'Thank you, it's a pleasure to meet you too. But tell me, there are many Latias and Latios. How did you know I am the guardian of the Lands of Water?' Latias asked.

'It is known amongst Pokémon that Legendaries who can communicate with humans are the true Guardian deities. They share the power of telepathy. Since you can even talk in human speech, I was sure you were one of the guardians.' Lucario replied.

Pikachu suddenly became interested in the conversation. 'Wait, I didn't know that. And I don't think many of Ash's Pokémon knew that either.' he asked, confused. He wasn't too surprised that Latias was a guardian legendary. He had a hunch and once he straight out asked her, and she confirmed it. While normally, any Pokémon would be over the moon to meet a guardian, Pikachu could safely say he had met enough to not be over-excited. He and Ash had met Mew, Ho-Oh and Lugia, after all. No offence to Latias, but she couldn't top that.

'It's a legend passed down through families. If you were young when you were captured by humans, you are less likely to hear it.' Lucario replied.

'That rules out most of us then.' Pikachu replied. _Maybe Charizard has heard about it during his time in Charicific valley._

"I wonder what they're talking about?" Ash said aloud. Usually, he could understand what Pikachu roughly meant, but adding Pikachu and Latias to the conversation just made it confusing. Latias was using Pokéspeech now, after all.

"Apparently, your Latias is special. You see, even amongst legendaries, there are some that have some duties to perform. For example, Groudon is the Lord of the land, Kyogre controls water and Rayquaza patrols the skies to keep it safe. Now, there is only one each of these Pokémon, and it is said that they existed from the time this world was created. To help them with their tasks, there are some other legendaries. Ho-Oh is the guardian of the Sky, Lugia the Guardian of the Seas, and apparently, your Latias is the current guardian of the Lands of Water along with a Latios. Lucario said just now that Legendaries with telepathic ability are the Guardians."

Latias' mood went considerably down at the mention of Latios. She still hadn't come in terms with her loss yet. "_The Latios was my brother_" Latias said, a little sadly.

"What happened to your brother?" Riley asked, noticing the past tense.

"_He became a Soul Dew._" Said Latias glumly.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Riley said sincerely. He had an idea what a soul dew was, his friend Steven had spent most of his time searching for it.

"_It's okay I guess. He can still talk to me when I hold the Soul Dew. He did that to protect the city where we live._" replied Latias. Ash put a comforting hand on her shoulder, knowing this was a hard topic for Latias. He always felt better when his mother comforted him like this.

"So, what did you want to talk to us about?" Ash asked, trying to move to a more comfortable topic.

Riley was expecting this, so he had his question ready. "Ash, what do you know about Aura?"

Ash frowned and thought hard. What _did _he know about Aura? Steven's explanation sprung in his mind, but he doubted that's what Riley wanted. He remembered bits and pieces of what Sir Aaron's Lucario had told him, but it was nothing substantial. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Riley leaned in eagerly to hear what he had to say.

"Um… not much?"

Riley and Lucario face planted while Latias broke into a fit of giggles, her somber mood long forgotten.

"I suppose it was too much to expect for you to know a lot." Riley said dejectedly.

Ash had a sudden bout of childishness. "Hey! I'll have you know that I've used Aura once!"

This statement caused Riley, Lucario and Latias to widen their eyes. Riley and Lucario out of disbelief that someone not knowing anything of Aura using it, and Latias for a whole other reason.

_He's an Aura Guardian? _Latias thought in shock. She had her doubts, but Ash flat out declaring that he had used Aura before solidified her theory. Pokémon knew of Aura guardians, especially legendaries like herself. To them, any human able to use Aura was an Aura Guardian. For humans too, this was mostly the case, but Latias doubted if Riley or any other guardians would recognize Ash among their order without formal training.

"But how can you use Aura when you don't even know what that is?" Riley asked disbelievingly.

"Sir Aaron's Lucario told me how to do it. I had to use Sir Aaron's special gloves to do it though." Ash replied.

"Sir Aaron's Lucario? Ash, do you know how many centuries ago he lived… wait. I've heard something like that before. Something about Lucario being spotted in Cameran…" he trailed off.

"Yeah, that's a long story." With that, Ash recounted his adventures in the kingdom of Rota and his encounter with Mew.

"Let me get this straight. Sir Aaron's Lucario told you that you had Aura similar to that of Sir Aaron?"

Of all the aspects of his story, Ash didn't expect Riley to ask about that. What's the big deal? "Yeah, he mistook me for Sir Aaron when he used his Aura sense. At least, that's what he called it." Ash replied.

Riley seemed to be lost in thought for a moment. The significance of this statement was not lost to Riley's Lucario either, but Latias looked like she didn't know what the deal was. Ash felt better now that he wasn't the only one thrown out of the loop.

"Ash, do you know why Sir Aaron's Aura was special compared to the other guardians?"

Ash frowned. He tried to recall anything he learned from Cameran, but nothing of significance occurred to him. "It was special? I didn't know that." Ash replied.

"Do you know the legend of the Original One?" Riley asked. He had more or less expected that answer to his question.

"…Nope." Riley sweat-dropped at Ash's blunt answer.

Latias looked at Ash incredulously. _I thought everyone knew that. But what does that have to do with this? Unless-_

"It's well known among Pokémon, but only a few humans know it" Riley explained. "It goes like this." Riley explained, unknowingly cutting off Latias from her thoughts.

"In the beginning, there was only

A churning turmoil of Chaos

At the heart of chaos, where all things became one, appeared an egg.

Having tumbled from the vortex, the

Egg gave rise to the Original One.

He was called Arceus, the first Pokémon.

Two beings of time and space set free from the Original One

Dialga, Ruler of time,

And Palkia, who ruled space.

Time started to spin, and Space began to expand

The two beings wished, and from them,

Matter came to be.

Another being then came to be,

Called Giratina of the reverse world.

To make this world an abode

For beings aplenty,

To help and advice these beings

And guard life itself,

With a large part of His powers

The Queen of Existence was created.

To be the Mother of Life,

And the world He created.

She was called Mew.

From itself again, three living things

The Original One did make.

Uxie, the embodiment of knowledge,

Mesprit, being of emotions,

And Azelf, bearer of willpower.

The three living things wished, and

from them, spirit came to be.

Arceus looked upon the world

And saw it incomplete.

To shape a planet to host this life

He made beings numbering three.

They were Groudon, Master of land

Kyogre, to rule the sea,

And Rayquaza, Lord of the sky.

Ho-Oh was made to guard the skies,

With Lugia, to guard the ocean vast.

In turn, to help them, they created beings numbering three.

Ho-Oh made three beasts by its power

Entei, the King of Fire,

Suicune, bearer of the frigid winds of north

And Raikou, the Legend of Thunder.

To balance nature, Lugia too, set an onset of creation

Articuno, of the icy winter

Zapados, harbinger of storms

And Moltress, the heat of summer.

Regigigias was then created

To scatter and spread the lands.

It in turn split its power

Among legendary golems three

From clay, ice and magma, in its image,

Were these three golems made.

Regirock to shape the rocky land,

Regice to form the icy land,

And Registeel to enrich these lands

Arceus looked upon this Earth, and saw it barren, devoid of life

He thus made Shaymin and hence created the essence of forest life,

And to protect its beauty through the trials of time,

Celebi came to be.

Heatran was made to assist Groudon

To spread warmth across the land

Manaphy, the Prince of the sea kept Kyogre company

With Phione, who, again, was the daughter of Manaphy.

To guard the lands which the seas surround

The eon dragons were made

Guardians of the Lands of Water

They were Latias and Latios.

Darkrai and Cresselia, the Lunar Duo

kept watch over the night

and with their power these beings wove

images of comfort and dread.

Jirachi, the spirit of ambitions

Had the power to fulfill desires

He then called upon all the beings He created

And asked of them to protect this world and beings that come belated.

He gave them the strength to communicate their thoughts unhindered,

For they could now speak, the language of mind was created.

A Fire, as bright as He Himself was now formed by His wishes

He passed it to Mew, and told her to keep it alighted.

'This is my Light, it will lead the world, for now I must now go to sleep

Warriors shall wield it and peace it shall keep.

This is my Aura, and it will balance this earth that you see

And one that wields it, human born, will be my legacy.

Worthy souls shall wield it, and they shall teach the rest,

The way of Aura, the power that lies within all that be.

The ones guarding the power of Aura, shall help you with your quest,

And if this world ever falls in danger, awaken me from my rest.'

With these words, The Original One made an abode for Himself

Trusting the world and his children upon the guardians thirty three"

Riley was quite exhausted after that long monologue. Nevertheless, he looked at Ash and finished, letting out a breath. "And that's the legend for you."

Ash was now staring at Riley blankly.

"…What?" Riley asked.

"Um… mind repeating that?" Ash asked sheepishly.

Groaning, Riley tried his best to explain the concept of legendary Pokémon, but found that Ash was very knowledgeable, in his own way, about the topic. It was the part about the Aura, the part most important at the present situation, that Ash did not fully get.

"You see, Ash, the first Aura Guardian was known as the Guardian of the Original Aura. He had Arceus' Aura in him, gifted to him by the Legendary Mew. He learned the ways of Aura from her and passed this skill to a great many people. That's how Aura Guardians came to be. It's our duty along with the legendary Pokémon to protect this world from harm. The Wielder of the Original Aura is one of the thirty three guardians of the Pokémon world, along with the rest of the legendary Pokémon." Riley looked at Ash, and saw that the teen was indeed following him to this point. Latias looked almost bored, and Riley guessed she had heard this numerous times before, perhaps from the legendaries themselves. Hell, he was willing to bet she knew more than he did.

"Of course, there are some legendaries that aren't guardians, and it is believed that Mew created them. Anyway, Arceus' Aura passes from one worthy human to another in time and all of them are known as Wielders of the Original Aura. Sir Aaron was widely accepted as the one, as his Aura was capable of stopping a great war and saving the Tree of Beginning itself. You, Ash, are the current wielder of the original Aura." Riley said.

"Okay… What makes you think that?" Ash asked.

Pikachu glanced at Ash with a do-you-really-have-to-ask-its-always-you kinda look. Riley missed it, however, and replied to the trainer.

"The fact that you were able to save the Tree of Beginning, and Sir Aaron's Lucario said your Aura matched with Sir Aaron, is the reason. You see, no two people have the same Aura, but it's possible to make a mistake if the same Aura is within you both. Of course, you both have your own individual Auras other than Arceus', but this can only be the reason why Lucario identified your Auras as one."

Latias had came to this conclusion as well, and began to see Ash in a whole new light. _Who would've guessed he was a legendary in his own right?_

Pikachu, remarkably, remained straight faced at the declaration, to the point where Lucario was incredulous of the indifference.

"Well, it all makes sense now I guess." Ash said after a while.

"What makes sense?" Riley asked.

"I've met every legendary Pokémon except the Sinnoh ones and Raikou. Professor Oak told me that this isn't something that happens to everybody."

Latias and Pikachu both sweat dropped at the last part, and Riley was gaping at the trainer.

"What do you mean, met all of the legendaries?"

"Each and every one of them, except like I said, Raikou and the ones from Sinnoh." Ash repeated.

"But Ho-Oh…" Riley tried to protest. It was rumored no one had seen Ho-Oh for centuries.

"I saw Ho-Oh thrice now actually. The first time on the first day of my journey."

"…Lugia…?" Riley's voice was now weak and shaking.

"I'm pretty sure I've seen three different ones now." Ash said with a nod.

"…Oh." Riley was at a loss of words now. Apparently, stuff like Groudon and Kyogre was routine to him. Eventually, Riley decided to bring up the point he

"Ash, you are sure to need to learn how to use your Aura. It's fine if you want to continue training Pokémon, but please consider it. It's obvious you'll need it, if what happened in Hoenn was any indication." Riley said.

Ash thought hard. Being an Aura Guardian sounded cool, but he didn't want it to interfere with his dream. Then again, it was _so_ cool. That settled it.

"I guess you're right. It was entrusted to me, and I need to try my best to do my duty." Ash tried to sound all mature and responsible, but Latias and Pikachu saw right through it, if their snickering was any indication. "Besides, with my luck, I'll need it sooner or later." At this, his Pokémon nodded sagely. "But how will I learn about it?" Ash asked. He already had a hint, considering Riley himself was an Aura guardian.

"I can teach you the basics. Most guardians train themselves after that, with a partner. Lucario here is my partner." Riley said, nodding at Lucario.

"I don't have a Pokémon that can use Aura, but I'll try my best to learn!" Ash said, determined. _Take that, Gary! Something I can do and you can't! _It seemed even after travelling their separate ways, the rivalry Ash had struck with Gary still had a special place in his heart.

"I'm glad you decided to accept, Ash. Oh, and it's traditional for Guardians to begin their training in a special area near the Tree of Beginning. Don't worry; we can teleport ourselves to Kanto and back. The training will take about a month."

"Alright. Thank you for taking that much time to teach me." Ash said sincerely.

"No problem. The least I can do to a guy who's save the world." Riley said with a smirk.

"Ah… it was nothing." Ash grinned sheepishly. Riley sweat dropped at that declaration.

"Anyway, I'll need to tell my friends." Said Ash. They headed back to the Pokémon centre where Ash's friends awaited.

"So, what was that all about?" Dawn asked.

Ash took a deep breath. "Guys, I need to go and train with Riley for a month so that he can teach me how to be an Aura guardian. He says I'm the 'Wielder of the Original Aura' and it's my duty to save the world and do stuff like that." he said bluntly.

Riley sweat dropped. That's one way to put it.

"Whaaa…?" Dawn was hopelessly confused.

Brock nodded sagely. "I see. Like Shamouti?" Being around Ash as long as him, he expected these things to happen in a daily basis.

"Yeah, like Shamouti." Ash nodded.

"Wait… I don't get it." Dawn said, thrown out of the loop.

"I'll fill you in later. It's a loooooong story." Brock said. He turned to Ash. "What's new this time?"

Ash Ash filled his friends in on his latest adventure, Latias found herself sweat dropping. She idly wondered if this was a routine to them. _Wait. Stupid question._

"So, what do ya say guys? Ready to take a side trip back to Kanto?" Ash asked.

Brock frowned. While he wouldn't mind a homeward detour, it would be a major inconvenience for Dawn. "Ash, Dawn's next contest is within a month. She needs to get to Floaroma Town in two weeks."

Ash looked at Riley questioningly. He didn't want Dawn to miss a contest. There were only a limited number as it is.

Riley didn't see a problem with that. "Well, your friends can go ahead. We'll teleport to them when we're done with the training." Riley said.

"Hold on. Kanto's way too far to teleport" Brock interjected.

"In one go, yes. But we can teleport in stages till we reach Cameron." Riley explained. Members of the G-Men often had to rely on teleportation to reach distant areas.

"That's a good idea" Ash said. "Lita, you'll come with me, right?" He asked the eon dragon. Brock raised aan eyebrow. Was Ash forgetting Lita was his Pokémon?

"Of course! No way I'd miss out a chance to see Mew again!" Lita said excitedly.

"Wow, you've seen Mew before? But Alto Mare is far away from Kanto." Ash asked, puzzled.

"Mew travels around a _lot_. She comes and plays with me from time to time. She likes to play and I get lonely in Alto Mare." Latias explained.

"I want to go to the Tree of Beginning too. I want to visit Lucario." Ash said, a little sad while remembering his friend.

Latias then remembered something. "Mew took me to the Tree of Beginning a few months ago. I saw the Lucario you told me about as some sort of a crystal. Mew told me that Lucario and an Aura Guardian helped to save the tree. I didn't know that was you." she said.

"Well, I wasn't an Aura guardian per say." Ash said a little sheepishly.

"Who would have thought that you're the Wielder of the Original Aura? I've heard the legend and never thought much of it. I wonder why Mew didn't tell me that it was you." Latias wondered again. It wasn't like Ash wasn't a subject of their conversations. He was, very often too.

"Don't know. You can ask her when we reach there." Ash replied. He turned to Riley. "So I guess we'll go to Kanto tomorrow?" The Aura guardian confirmed this.

"Then it's settled. I and Dawn will continue to Floraroma town while you two get this training done. We'll be on our way to the next gym after that." Brock decided.

Ash turned to Liza. "Liza, do you mind if I continue to train with Charizard for a while? He can also help me train my other Pokémon. I asked Charizard and he was okay with it."

"Well, if Charizard's okay with it, I don't see why not." Liza replied. She then called out Charla and the two Charizard bid farewell for now.

Ash then called Professor Oak as he had decided to train Totodile and Glalie during this time. Night had settled in by then, and Ash and company retired to their rooms for some well deserved rest. Ash himself was restless, excited about all the new things he'd learn. Aura had fascinated him from his first encounter with it, and it seemed that Aura did hold the key to the mysteries he had faced. Sleep came late, and was plagued with dreams of his adventures.

The following day, Ash, Riley and Lita were ready to go to the Tree of Beginning. Riley called out his Gallede and they departed after saying goodbye to Steve, Brock and Dawn. Steven himself had to go to Mount Silver.

_I'm in for a long meeting._ Steven sighed. No doubt his colleagues would want to hear about this newest development.

On their way to Kanto, they made a quick stop at Alto Mare around noon, where they visited Bianca and Lorenzo. They were delighted to see Latias again, but were a bit wary about Riley. Ash explained he was an Aura Guardian and their suspicions were lifted. It seems they, at least,, were aware of the legend of the Original One, having heard it from Latias and Latios. After a quick lunch, Gallede recovered sufficiently for another teleport. Thus by afternoon, they found themselves at Rota, near the Tree of Beginning. Riley thanked Gallede and recalled him.

At the sight of the age old tree, a flood of memories hit Ash. He had lost a dear friend and he still bore guilt about that event. If he had known how to properly use Aura, perhaps that would not have happened. This thought made Ash steel his resolve to train with utmost sincerity. But first, he wanted to visit his friend who rested now beside his master in eternal sleep.

"Riley, can we go to the Tree of Beginning first? I'd like to visit Lucario." Ash asked the Aura guardian who would be his teacher for the coming month.

"Sure Ash. I'd like to see Sir Aaron's Lucario as well. Do you know the way?" Riley asked.

"Trust me." Ash replied.

'Don't! DON'T!' Pikachu shouted frantically. Latias giggled.

"Give him a chance, Pikachu." Riley said, having understood what Pikachu meant. _He can't be that bad, can he?_ Riley thought amusedly.

Apparently, he can. Two hours later, Ash was frantically looking around. He was completely lost.

"I'm sure it was around here somewhere. I mean I'm pretty sure." Ash said reassuringly. It was only working on himself, however.

'An Aura Guardian getting lost. How embarrassing' Riley's Lucario said.

"We'll have to work on that. Actually we have to work on a lot of things." Riley said, seeing Ash beginning to panic. Maintaining composture just happened to be another one of those things.

Suddenly, a light bulb went on in Ash's head. "That's it!" he exclaimed.

"You remembered?" Riley asked hopefully.

"Nope. But Latias, you said you were there before. You can show us the way!" Ash's brilliance made itself known. The group face vaulted.

"I have too much confidence in my trainer" Latias muttered. She began to lead the way and they reached the crystal formation at the tree's core in ten minutes.

At the centre of the chamber, the crystals adopted a spiral shape, intertwining each other to form a tower like structure. At its base, they saw the crystalline forms of Lucario and Sir Aaron. Riley knelt in front of them as a show of respect. Ash imitated the gesture, for this was one Pokémon that saved his life, not the other way around.

Rising, Riley looked around. "This truly is an amazing sight. I've never been inside the Tree before. I've heard that the tree's guardians keep people away."

"Yeah, the Regis can be a bit overprotective. I wonder why they didn't attack us this time?" Ash asked.

"Who knows? Maybe they recognized that we mean no harm." Riley said hopefully.

'Master, there is a writing in one of the crystals. It seems to be shaped out of Aura.' Lucario said.

Surprised, Riley probed the crystal formation. Sure enough, he could identify Aura in it that seemed to form a form of writing. Riley was surprised that he could actually understand what it meant.

"Knight of Aura, Wielder of His light,

Approach, Kneel, and Donate thy flame!

A savior, thou art, to thy kingdom and me,

To this Tree, and the world thou see!

Submit thy Aura, to His and mine grace,

Thus restore the balance, and let prosper, the peace!"

"What does that mean?" Ash asked, bewildered.

"This must be something Mew wrote for Sir Aaron to see. It asks him to give his Aura to the Tree to save it and his kingdom." Riley said. "Wait, there's some new writing being carved in the crystal!" Riley's heart beat went up. What could this mean? He read out the new text that began to appear.

"Successor of His Light, if, by thy grace,

Thou give thy Aura, to the friend thou see,

And awaken him, from his slumber, profound,

He shalt be thy guide to the powers thou found

And help thee with burdens abound!"

"Okay…" Ash was again confused by the archaic terms.

"_Did that writing just come up?_" Latias asked suspiciously.

"Yes it did. As I was looking at it." Riley said. Did the legendary dragoness know the cause of this phenomenon?

"That means…" Latias extended her Psychic powers. Sure enough, she found the profound and ancient energy of Mew… hiding behind a rock? "Aha!" She pulled Mew towards her with Psychic force, catching Mew unaware.

Riley was gob smacked upon seeing a floating pink, cat-like creature with a long tail, triangular ears and baby blue eyes. He trembled slightly as he realized what he was seeing, his Lucario having a similar reaction. Ash was surprised, although nowhere near as much as Riley.

"_Eeeek! Wha? Oh hi Latias!"_ Mew's telepathy sounded for all to hear. Latias waved playfully at the pink legendary, her eyes alight with amusement upon catching Mew red- I mean pink- handed.

Eventually snapping out of the shock, Riley and Lucario bowed deeply. "The Legendary Mew. It's an honor to meet you." he said.

"_That's right! I'm the great and All-Powerful Mew. Queen of Existence, Mother of life, keeper of shiny objects and toys! All will bow before my eternal glo-_"

"_Oh, cut it out Mew, we get it already!_" Latias said, rolling her eyes. Ash was shaking with mirth by this time, and Pikachu was rolling on the floor with laughter. Lucario looked shocked at the blatant disrespect, but then again, it was hard to take someone like Mew seriously. He found that out from just the sentences she had uttered.

"_Aww.. You're no fun. Why didn't I get a cool title, like Guardian of the Lands of water?"_ Mew complained, pouting.

"_Sorry Mew, but that title's taken._" Latias said smugly.

"_No fair!_" Mew said childishly.

"_You're the 'Queen of Existence' and that's not cool enough?_" Latias asked incredulously.

"_I want to be a guardian of something! That's cooler!_" Mew said stubbornly.

"_You are a guardian. Oh never mind, its no use reasoning with you._" Latias said in an amused tone.

Riley blinked at the childish behavior of the ancient being. They hadn't expected this at all.

Ash decided to speak up for the first time, voicing the question he was itching to ask. "Hey Mew, if you could use telepathy, why didn't you use it before? Why didn't you tell Sir Aaron what to do instead of writing it down in a language no one could understand?"

"_What fun would that be?"_ Mew retorted. Everyone sweat dropped.

"_You wrote this now, right?_" Latias gestured the rocks where the writing appeared according to Riley.

"_Yup! And I won't tell you what it means. Figure it out!_" Mew said with a wide grin.

"_It means that if Ash gives his Aura to Lucario he can come back to life and help Ash. But is that even possible?_" Latias asked skeptically. She has never heard of bringing someone back to life before.

Riley, Lucario and Ash were quite startled by this. Riley was only halfway done in figuring out the meaning, and Ash was stuck at the first line.

"Wow! How did you figure it out, Latias? It sounded like a lot of nonsense to me." Ash said admiringly.

"_Nonsense? Why you ungrateful-Argh! I spend days thinking up something like this and this is the thanks I get!_" Mew said, very upset.

"Ash is a little slow, that's all. We're sorry if it offended you, Mew." Riley said, trying to appease Mew. Latias rolled her eyes.

Ash nodded. "That's right-Hey! I'm not slow!"

Everyone snickered. Mew cheered up again. At least someone knew to respect her!

"So… Lucario can be brought back? But how's that possible? Didn't he die?" Ash asked, voicing the same question as Latias.

"_Hypocrite!_" Mew muttered. "_He isn't dead. He's in a state of suspended animation because he doesn't have any Aura left."_

"Oh. Okay, that makes sense. So… what's a splendid imitation?" Ash asked. The group face vaulted.

"Not splendid imitation, Ash! Suspended animation means it's like he's frozen. I've heard it happens if you overuse your Aura." Riley explained.

"So that's what happened to Sir Aaron too?" Ash asked, now understanding. (A/N: _Smart_, isn't he?)

"_Yes. Unfortunately, he's been like that for centuries. His soul has already passed on. But I foresaw you coming back here and so I preserved Lucario's life and his body._" Mew said.

"How did you know I was coming back?" Ash asked, curious.

"_Because…"_ Mew began mysteriously. She sensed everyone was paying close attention to her. A few tense moments followed.

"_Because I'm a Psychic!_" Mew replied cheerfully. The group face vaulted again.

"So, I just have to give my Aura to Lucario and he'll be alright? I'll do it right now!" Ash said, walking over to Lucario's crystalline figure. He extended his hands and had a look of utmost concentration on his face.

'Does he know to manifest his Aura?' Lucario asked Riley.

"Somehow, I doubt that." Riley replied.

Five minutes later, Ash turned to the audience. "Er... What should I do again?" he asked. Everyone sweat dropped.

"It's not that simple, Ash! You'll have to complete your training to at least manifest your Aura. To revive someone with it, it will take-" Riley was cut off by Mew.

"_About a month_" Mew said.

"One month? With all due respect, Mew, that's impossible!" Riley said.

"_It's true he'll just be able to access his Aura by that time, but if he has learned to do that, he can use Aaron's gloves with ease. He has the potential to give more Aura than Aaron's Lucario, as he has the Aura of Arceus. He doesn't need to stop two gigantic armies from going to war like Aaron, so he won't be completely depleted of Aura in the process. Which is good, it'll be a pain in the neck if he dies again._" Mew explained.

"I see… Wait, if he dies again?" Riley asked, dumbfounded. Everyone had the same reaction, including Ash.

"_You don't remember do you? Mewtwo erased your memories from New Island._" Seeing the confused faces, Mew used her Incredibly Ancient Psychic Powers™ to restore Ash and Pikachu's memories.

Realization dawned over Ash and Pikachu. "So that's when I first met you. I can't believe I died once. That's so cool." Ash said.

"So... cool?" Latias asked faintly, having not expected that at all. She still had no idea what he was talking about, but still.

"Yeah! I mean, that's the one thing I always thought hasn't happened to me. So now you can say I've seen it all!" Ash said. Pikachu rolled his eyes.

'Don't you remember your otherworldly adventure with those ghost Pokemon in Lavender town?' Pikachu asked.

"Oh yeah, so that makes it the second time I've died!" Ash said cheerfully, as if counting league victories.

_Okay… okay… just who the hell is this kid? _Riley was really starting to get creeped out. He didn't know about what incidents they were talking about, but training a twice dead guardian was definitely not on his things-to-do list when he graduated.

"What are you talking about?" Latias asked, extremely confused.

So, Ash went ahead and explained his adventure in New Island to them, followed by his earlier adventure in Lavender. Riley, Lucario and Latias were all awestruck. "You've died and been revived? Wow! I've never even heard of such a thing!" Riley said. Latias was just glad Ash was okay.

'Where is Mewtwo now, anyway?' Pikachu asked, trying to change the subject.

"_Oh, he's around. He travels a lot. He's a bit paranoid if you ask me. He visits me from time to time._" said Mew.

"Hey Mew, why didn't you tell me I was the Guardian of the Original Aura?" Ash asked. Latias too, wanted to know.

"_Hmm… guess it slipped my mind._" Mew said, causing the group to face vault.

"So Ash, if you want to revive Sir Aaron's Lucario, we better start training." Riley said, preparing to leave.

"_Oh, can I come too? Can I? Can I?_" Mew asked with puppy dog eyes. "_It's soooo boring here._"

"Uh… Sure." Riley relented, still a bit unnerved by Mew's behaviour. "But there may be other guardians there. What if they see you?"

"_Oh, I can think of something!_" Mew said. She used her shape shifting abilities to transform herself and a teenage girl now stood in front of them. She had long *pink* hair with blue eyes, and wore a pink and white dress.

"_You sure like pink don't you_?" Latias asked, amused.

"_Yup!"_ Mew chirped happily. "_Call me Melinda!_"

Latias narrowed her eyes. "_Something tells me you've done this before._"

"_I don't know what you're talking about._" Mew replied, with an oh-so-innocent look on her face.

Riley, quite impressed with the transformation, decided to move on to the more important matters. "Now, we'll go to the guardian's training gro-"

"-und. Holy hell!" Riley was teleported midsentence to their destination, along with the others.

"_No one here! Yay!_" Mew said happily, and transformed to her true form. She began to fly around with Latias. Not for the first time, Riley wondered which one was older, given the level of 'maturity' Mew was displaying.

"Well, it looks like it's late already" Riley said, looking at the setting sun. "This is where you'll be training, Ash. Starting tomorrow, you'll learn about your gifts of Aura."

"Alright! We'll nail it in no time!" Ash shouted, fist pumping.

_Wonder if he'll be this enthusiastic after tomorrow._ Lucario chuckled at the thought.

The training grounds were aptly named, for they were just that. A large grassy lawn open to the nature, with more than enough space to accommodate Ash, Riley and all of their Pokémon. The atmosphere was calm and peaceful, with a view of both the Tree of Beginning and the palace of Cameran at a distance.

Soon, they headed to the Cameran palace to visit the Queen. Latias decided to keep Mew company in the tree, as Mew would be coming to see the training anyway. Lady Ilene was glad to see Ash again. She remembered Riley too, as the guardians often visited the palace as a base of operations. The Queen graciously offered rooms in the palace during their stay. There were a lot of free rooms, at that. Riley was fairly familiar with the palace, revealing that it was Lady Ilene's mother, the Queen at that time, who initiated him as an Aura guardian. Even as he marveled the luxury of the palace provided to him, Ash's mind was set in his new objective. Learn as much as he can about Aura during his stay, and use it to revive Lucario.

**Mount Silver, Hidden Base**

Steven walked through the long underground hallway where the meeting was held. "_I never get why Lance insists on keeping this place a secret. Guess it's another one of his quirks._" He thought. At the end of the hallway, a large steel door awaited him. To get to the meeting hall beyond, he used a handprint scanner near the door.

"Welcome Steven Stone, Hoenn Commander, North Division" A mechanical voice sounded. The steel doors slid open, revealing a large room.

He was now in a fully lit room with a large circular table. Eight others were seated, and they looked at him as he entered.

"Looks like I'm the last one here" he said, taking his seat.

"Good to have you join us today." A short man with white beard and a cap announced. "Those in attendance, please state your name and designation by protocol."

"Steven Stone, North Division commander of Hoenn" Steven started.

"Lance Blackthorn, Commander of Johto Division" a spiky haired man with a red cape announced.

"Brandon, South Division Commander of Kanto" A stern looking man wearing green dress said.

"Noland, North Division Commander of Kanto" A man wearing a sleeveless white overcoat and red cap said jovially.

"Drake, Regional Commander of Orange Islands" a dark green haired man raised his hand.

"Wallace, South Division Commander of Hoenn" a man with green hair, white cape and beret said.

"Flint, from the Sinnoh North division at your service!" A man with red afro exclaimed.

"Cynthia Shirona, South Division Commander of Sinnoh" the only woman of the group announced. She had long blond hair and wore a black dress.

"And Charles Goodshow, President of the Pokémon league. The Commander's Assembly of the Pokémon G-Men is now in session." The short man with white beard announced.

**Post A/N: **

The extended version of the story of the original one was inspired from 'Skye Furie and the Plates of Creation' by SkyeFurieX. I recommend that fanfic, it's good!.


	8. A new level of perception

**Chapter 8**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. The characters and other elements of this story are the copyrighted property of Pokémon or its affiliates and licensors. This fan fiction is purely for enjoyment and no desire of profit comes out of it.**

**Chapter 8**

**A new level of perception**

The following morning found Ash, Riley and Lucario at the guardian training grounds of Rota. The large grounds were deserted at the moment, and Riley felt a twinge of nostalgia as he surveyed it. He still vividly remembered his own training here, some twenty years ago. He remembered the grounds being a lot more active back then, as the numbers of their order had not dwindled this far at that time. Most of the guardians that were present at that time had retired, and there is a depressing lack of recruits for this noble job.

A chilly wind blew through the field, causing most of the company to shiver. Daybreak was still about an hour away, and needless to say, this didn't suit our hero who was in the habit of sleeping in.

*Yawn* "Do we have to get up this early Riley? Even the sun hasn't gotten up." Ash complained.

Riley smirked. "We're actually late today. The earlier you get up, the better. Don't worry. We'll train till late night to make up."

"WHAT?" Ash yelled, all sleep gone. Earlier than _this_?

"Nice to see you're fully awake now." Riley grinned. Pikachu snickered. Ash glared at his electric alarm clock. He tried to come up with an excuse to delay the training. He was still feeling sleepy and his body didn't want to move at all. He would gladly snuggle back into the bed. Suddenly, he remembered the two legendaries who promised they would show up in time for training.

"Hey! Mew and Latias aren't here yet. We have to wait for them You wouldn't want to displease Mew, would you?" Ash asked. Any excuse, just to delay was good enough for him.

"Well…" Riley began to get nervous. He didn't want Mew to be angry. Mew was like a deity to Aura wielders after all. It was hard to imagine the playful legendary being angered, but Riley didn't want to take any risks.

"_Hi everyone!_" A telepathic voice chirped from behind them. Startled, they turned around to find the pink, catlike legendary and the eon dragoness.

"Sorry we're a bit late" Latias said sheepishly, mistaking Ash's reason for glaring at them.

"Alright! Let's get to business, shall we?" Riley's grin widened.

"Wait!" Ash interrupted the guardian again.

"Now what?" Riley asked, irritated. Honestly, even he wasn't this lazy during his training, was he?

"I have to put all of my Pokémon on a training schedule. There's plenty of space here, it's perfect." Ash said. He didn't want to waste an opportunity like this.

"Alright. But be quick!"

"Come on out everyone!" Ash shouted, hurling his Pokéballs. White light engulfed the area and all of Ash's Pokémon materialized. It would have been a whole lot impressive if they weren't all sleeping like a bunch of Snorlax.

'Like trainer like Pokémon I suppose.' Lucario sighed.

"_Oh let me wake them up please! Please Ash!_" Mew pleaded, bouncing (?) in the air.

Ash frowned. He had no idea how Mew would wake them up. He was sure his Pokémon wouldn't appreciate it if it was anything like how Pikachu woke him up. "Okay. Don't overdo it." Ash said cautiously.

"_Yay!_" Mew began to do a strange dance in mid-air. The chilly winds became harsh and the light of dawn that was creeping through the distant mountains all but disappeared. Startled, Riley realized a storm was beginning to form.

"Mew, what are you doing?" Latias asked, worried.

"_Rain Dance!_" Mew shouted. A thunder clapped and lightning flashed, illuminating the whole area. Small drops of water began to fall, announcing the advent of a greater storm.

"No! Stop!" Riley shouted frantically. He already had a sneaking suspicion, but he didn't expect something of such a large scale. The training ground would be a murky puddle if the rain came down with ferocity. To his immense relief, the storm cleared.

"_Aww… Why?_" Mew asked, pouting.

"We need to wake them up. Not soak the entire field including us!" Riley shouted, forgetting this was Mew.

"_Oh. Okay! Hydro Cannon!_" Mew shouted again, this time aiming at only Ash's Pokémon.

"That's not much be- Never mind." Ash said, as the attack had hit already.

"RAWR!" A fierce roar was heard through the grounds.

"I forgot about Charizard!" Ash said, panicking. Charizard doesn't like water, obviously. Unfortunately, he has a temper too, so Ash wasn't sure if he'd be able to calm Charizard down before any damage was done.

Charizard flew around the field spitting fire, angry his nap was interrupted. He gathered up some intense flames and unleashed it towards the direction from which the attack had come.

'Inferno!' He shouted.

"_That's not very nice._" Mew said, countering with another Hydro Cannon. It extinguished the inferno like it was nothing and… well, let's just say, Charizard was wet again. Thankfully, he now saw who he had fired the attack against, and paled a little. He was strong, sure. But Mew was another matter. He calmed down, much to Ash's relief. All of his Pokémon were wide awake by now, thanks to Mew's little stunt. Ash walked towards his Pokémon to instruct them on their training. As most of them were experienced, they could train on their own with a small guidance.

"Alright guys! We'll be training here for a while. I have to train as an Aura Guardian for about a month here, so you guys will all be training as well." Ash said. This was met with general cheerfulness. You can never blame Ash's Pokémon of being lazy. Charizard in particular looked very eager to start.

"Pikachu and Charizard, why don't the two of you spar? Charizard, you have only battled other Charizard in Charicific Valley, so you may have trouble with opponents of different size. Don't go too rough on each other." Ash eyed the duo cautiously. He knew this was one fight that could go out of hand.

'The rodent is going down' Charizard said, looking determinedly at Pikachu.

Pikachu twitched at Charizard's nickname for him. 'Keep talking while you can, lizard!' Pikachu retorted, cheeks sparking. Charizard growled.

"Maybe we should give them some space" said Riley, edging away. Everyone followed his lead.

"Alright Latias, you'll-" Ash was interrupted before completing the sentence.

"_Teach me how to talk like humans_" Mew interjected.

"Teach Mew how to-Hey! That's not what I wanted!" Ash shouted.

"_Please Ash! If she can teach me, I'll teach her some of the moves I know. And I know a LOT of moves._" Mew said, putting on a disturbingly cute look. She knew she had him, as the deal was too good to be refused.

"Well… I suppose that's an offer I can't refuse. What do you say Latias?" Ash asked.

"Okay with me!" Latias said happily. Training with Mew was bound to be entertaining. So Mew and Latias levitated over to another corner of the training grounds.

Ash turned to his Sinnoh grass type. "Turtwig, can you teach Glalie protect?" Ash asked. Glalie had a short move pool and virtually no defensive moves.

"Trurtwig! Turt!" Turtwig was happy that it knew a move one of Ash's older Pokémon didn't.

"Bulbasaur, you need to increase your speed more. Totodile and Staravia will attack you. Concentrate on dodging. Guys, try to increase accuracy and power."

"Toto toto toto Dile!" Totodile bounced happily. Staravia gave an enthusiastic chirp and Bulbasaur nodded. Ash was happy he had thought out a good training regimen last night. Now, all of Ash's Pokémon were busy training. Ash turned to Riley.

"Let's start." Ash told him, ready to explore the power granted to him.

Riley took a deep breath. His first apprentice. He really hoped he wouldn't mess this up, as this wasn't your average run-of-the-mill Aura Guardian he would be training. He could honestly say he's _good_ at using Aura, he was very good at it in fact. But he didn't know how he'd do as a teacher. He decided to stick with how he was taught and work his way from there. He didn't want to embarrass himself in front of Mew.

"Alright. You should know that every living being in this world has Aura. It's the life energy that makes us what we are. Different beings have different amounts of Aura. It varies from one being to another. The nature of a person's Aura is even dependent on his personality and state of mind. You got that?" Riley eyed his apprentice carefully. The basics were the most important parts.

"Umm… I think so." Ash nodded slowly, considering what was told to him. "So Aura would change with emotions?"

"Well… It would be more accurate to say that the aura would be the same, but the state of Aura will change. Kind of like how ice changes to water and steam when heated. Angry people have Auras that are more… turbulent." Riley told him. "Don't worry, you'll understand this better once you actually begin to sense aura." He added, seeing Ash's confused expression.

Riley continued. " In the most basic sense, manipulating Aura gives us the ability to see what we can't really see. It's like a sixth sense. Aura Guardians can use this sixth sense to probe others' Aura and know many details about them that we can't know otherwise." Riley explained.

"What do you mean by sixth sense?" Ash asked.

"That's the best way to explain it. Everyone can see, hear, smell, taste and touch. The people sensitive to Aura has empathetic abilities. You can understand the feelings, thoughts, strengths, weaknesses, and even personality of people near you. This is not restricted to people, you'll be sensitive to Pokémon as well. You can even understand Pokémon speech by reading their emotions." Riley said.

Ash frowned. All of this was new to him. He was at a loss as to how he'd understand all those things, but he supposed he'd understand it when he actually began to do it. He felt a rush of excitement at that thought. Understanding Pokémon? That's like a dream come true. But he still needed some clarification. "What do you mean by understanding strengths and weaknesses and all that?" He asked.

"That's the more physical aspect of Aura. To make it simple, you'll be able to tell the weak points and strong points of an opponent without actually battling them. This is because physical training actually influences Aura. If you're physically strong, you'll have more Aura. But just because you have a large amount of Aura won't mean you're extremely strong. Strength only contributes to Aura. There are other factors like mental discipline that contribute to Aura. In your case, you have Guardian level Aura, but you lack physical strength and the mental discipline required. This is because your own Aura is closely tied to the Original One's Aura and has grown strong under it's influence."

"Okay, now I'm confused. Does this mean I have Arceus' strength and mental ability?" Ash asked. Unlikely.

Riley sighed exasperatedly. "No it doesn't. He didn't pass on his entire Aura to humans, it would nullify his existence. I don't know how much was passed, but a lot of it is still dormant. It can't be tapped without training. Also, you won't have the strength of a Pokémon even if His Aura is with you. Your physical build won't support it. Even if you become proficient in Aura, you won't be able to match most Pokémon in physical strength. You'll be able to shield yourself from attacks, and, in very advanced levels, attack with Aura, but you won't be beating a Pokémon in a battle anytime soon. I don't pretend to know what all of your abilities will be, because your Aura was originally part of a Pokémon, but you won't be shooting Flamethrowers or performing Pokémon attacks. This is because you're a human, they're Pokémon. You'll be able to manipulate Aura, and that's what you'll be learning after you get through the basics."

Ash nodded slowly, comprehending. "What basics?" he queried.

Riley took a deep breath. "First, you'll need to access your Aura. Then, you'll learn to use the empathetic abilities of Aura. Then, you'll learn to manifest it. But before all that, you'll need to start physical training."

Ash didn't like the sound of that. "What kind of physical training are we talking about?"

Riley grinned. "Hand to hand combat. This will take a lot of time and will be an ongoing process. It will strengthen your Aura and make it easier to draw it out. Every day in the morning, we'll start with warm up exercises. Then, you and I will spar until you drop to the ground. You'll rest till you have enough strength to stand, then we'll spar again. We'll repeat this till noon. This training will increase your stamina in time and will strengthen your Aura."

Ash paled considerably. "Spar? But I don't know how to fight!" He _did not_ want to spar with someone who did.

"Don't worry, you'll learn. Eventually. The afternoon sessions will be less strenuous. You'll work on mental discipline. It means you'll meditate. This will improve your concentration. When you get sufficiently good enough at maintaining concentration, we'll cover the next part of the training. Now, get ready to fight." Riley's grin widened. Being a teacher is fun. For the teacher, that is.

Ash stood there clueless. "What am I supposed to doOOMPH!" A fist landed on his face and he fell down. He groaned in pain. His Pokémon who saw that flinched, but figured it was part of his training. That was how they trained, after all.

"First, you'll learn to avoid that. As a trainer, don't you command your Pokémon to dodge? That's exactly what I'm asking you to do. Dodge!" Riley's fist shot forward and hit Ash's gut while he was shakily standing up. Ash promptly doubled over in pain. He struggled to get up and opened his mouth to complain, only to be met with a series of punches and kicks too fast for him to see. He did feel each and every one of them though. Soon, he collapsed to the ground. _Gee, Riley really knows how to fight._

Riley frowned. Maybe he was being a little too hard on the teenager? Naah. This was exactly how he learned. Riley decided to give the boy some words of encouragement.

"Get up. I know you can take more." Riley said, really knowing that because he could sense that Ash's Aura was still strong. The kid had endurance. "If you don't want to get hurt, you'll quit complaining and start dodging."

Ash whimpered. As the training progressed, he put all of his efforts into seeing the attack. It was amazing that humans could actually move this fast. It was nowhere near the speed many Pokémon could move, but it was fast enough to hit him. Ash soon learned that he would probably have to try and predict the places where the attack would land. Easier said than done.

After several long and agonizing hours, Riley decided he was done for the day. Suffice to say, Ash was a bloody pulp. He never realized that just dodging was this strenuous. His Pokémon were around him with concerned expressions. They hadn't fully noticed how hurt Ash was over their training.

"How do you guys do this every day?" Ash asked them, hanging on to the last bit of consciousness.

"Good enough to talk? Good enough to fight." Riley began to get up. He was just joking though, he was done for the day. Ash hadn't hit him at all. Not surprising, considering his fighting experience, or lack thereof. His apprentice promptly lost his consciousness.

"_Don't you think you're going a bit hard on him?_" Mew asked, worried about Ash's health. She had seen the Aura guardians train before, sure, and she knew this was standard training and nothing more. But that didn't mean she liked it. Especially when it involved Ash, who had even saved her life a while ago.

Riley sighed. "He needs to learn. Aura training usually starts at early ages. He has to make up for lost time. Besides, I think he'll need it." Riley explained.

"_I suppose_" Mew said, feeling a bit guilty. It was partly her fault Ash was in this mess, after all. She floated over to Ash and touched him with her tail. Ash began to glow in unearthly light and was fully healed when the glow faded.

"Wow. That's convenient." Riley blinked.

Ash stirred. He clutched his head and got up. "I just had the most terrible nightmare. I was attacked by this monster-" he slowly opened his eyes and saw a grinning Riley. "AAH! It's him!" Ash turned and promptly began to run. _Get away from the monster! _His mind whispered to him.

'I think he has Rileyphobia' Pikachu observed.

'Maybe I should fry that guy.' Charizard didn't like the blue clad Aura guardian messing with his trainer. He glared hotly at the said person.

Riley considerably paled. That Charizard was strong. He didn't like his chances.

'Charizard, don't!' Latias said. Riley breathed a sigh of relief. "_I'll torture him with Psychic._" She added, grinning maliciously.

Riley promptly hid behind Lucario. 'Overprotective, much?' Lucario asked sarcastically.

'That's our best friend. Of course we're overprotective.' Bulbasaur growled.

"Look, I'm sorry for what I'm doing, but it's necessary. Besides, it's not permanent!" he added, looking at Mew for support. Mew promptly wandered off, holding back a smirk.

'I'm sure anything we do won't be permanent either. I think.' Pikachu too felt the need to stick up for Ash. His cheeks sparked dangerously. All of the Pokémon followed Pikachu's cue and began to take an offensive stance.

_Shit. I'm done for._ Riley began to back away, slowly.

"No need guys. I did ask for this" Ash's voice came from behind them. They all jumped and turned around. Ash couldn't understand the words, but he could get the gist of what was happening. Riley breathed a sigh of relief at the support, thanking all deities that Ash didn't have a vengeful mind.

"You're Pokémon are very fond of you Ash. You should be proud." Riley said, smiling. _And I should be more careful._ He added in his mind.

"Thanks Riley. You're the best, guys." Ash smiled. His Pokémon smiled back at him, except Charizard, who just snorted.

"We'll start with mental training in the afternoon. Let's go get us some lunch." Riley said. It was welcome news to everyone. Ash, who had forgotten about food due to the pain (just imagine the pain) promptly ran towards the palace, where the Queen had insisted they come for all needs.

'Shame. I was going to teleport us all to the palace.' Mew said. Everyone snickered at Ash's impatience.

Mew's eyes glowed for a second and they were all teleported to the palace. This was greeted with a shriek. Everyone turned to find a blushing Queen Ilene, who turned out to be the source of the shriek. The old lady near her was also cleaning her glasses to check what she saw.

"Oh my! Mew, in her true form. We're honored to meet you in person." Lady Ilene said with a curtsy, covering up her initial shock.

"_Nice to see you too!_" Mew chirped. Riley and Latias, now Lita, greeted the Queen politely. The Pokémon all awkwardly looked around, waiting for their trainer.

"Where's the newest Guardian, Riley?" The Queen asked.

"He… decided to take the long route." Riley replied.

Ten minutes later, an exhausted Ash joined them in the dining hall. He glared at Mew, having understood what happened. Mew continued to happily munch the Pokémon food provided by the Queen, looking extremely innocent. Ash joined the lunch, and ate in a manner befitting a King. Not.

"Oh my.." the Queen murmured, losing her appetite. Her Aide looked disapprovingly at Ash and marched towards him. Ash stopped eating to look.

"Now young man, this" she held up a fork "is a fork. Do you know what it's for?"

"Yes?" Ash said weakly.

She held up a variety of forks and spoons of varying sizes. "Do you know what each of these is used for?"

"Um.. Nope." Ash said. He's never had such a luxurious lunch before. The aide sighed and began to teach him proper etiquette. 'This will take a long time' everyone realized. Lita had taken to imitating the queen, and Riley knew proper etiquette from his previous stays in the palace.

After their Royal lunch and some rest, they headed to the training ground. The Pokémon were instructed to strengthen their attacks and accuracy. Riley asked Ash to sit cross legged in preparation for meditation.

"Now what?" Ash asked.

"Do exactly as I say. Close your eyes. Now, regulate your breathing. Concentrate only on it."

"Now what?" Ash asked, doing as instructed.

"You're not concentrating. First, you learn the art of concentration. Then, we'll do more. But for now, simply concentrate on this and _don't_ fall asleep. It's a part of disciplining your mind. You'll learn patience as well." Riley said.

After ten minutes, Ash decided. "This is boring." He was rewarded with a smack in the head. "Concentrate" Riley murmured.

"I hate you." Came the reply. Another smack. This was greeted with silence.

This was more difficult for Ash than the morning routine. Patience was not something that Ash had naturally. He occasionally tried to make conversation, but soon understood it was not a good idea after a few bumps in the head. He tried to think of something else to distract his mind, but Riley detected it all too easily. Ash was a bit freaked out at that. He didn't even have mental freedom! He was lost at how his mind was to stay blank. He tried his best to follow Riley's advice and concentrate on his breathing, but that wouldn't hold for long. Honestly, that was _boring_. But Ash was determined if nothing else. Slowly but surely, the time for which he could concentrate rose. At first, it was less than a minute. Slowly, it began to progress to a few minutes. But the longer he had to concentrate, the harder it got.

This routine continued for three days until Riley decided that Ash had sufficient concentration to perform the next step. He would have liked to do this longer, but something told him Ash wouldn't appreciate that at all.

"In the past days, you have developed the art of concentration. You still need to improve, a lot, as concentration is vital for mental discipline. The exercise also helps to better control your emotions. Now, you'll apply your concentration. Meditate as I told you. Then, focus your mind within yourself. Clear your mind of all thoughts. After that, see if you can pick up any kind of vibrations coming from within you. It's hard to explain, but Aura is a kind of a vibration when you first sense it. It'll have a kind of a rhythm to it. You won't get it immediately, but keep trying. I'll know when you find it. I'll tell you what to do after you discover your own aura." Riley said.

Ash complied. Finally, something was happening! Or at least, he hoped something would happen. He shut himself away from all his other senses. Which was very hard to do, mind you. He still hadn't mastered how to do it fully, but he was a lot better at this than his untrained self. He began listening within himself. Even though he didn't feel anything, he kept searching for it, whatever it was. Ash delved deeper and deeper inside himself, trying to find something. _Anything_. He began to recollect the time when he had used Aura with Sir Aaron's gloves, trying with all his effort to rediscover that feeling.

A good while later, he sensed it. Something similar to a heartbeat, but its pace was much greater. He concentrated on that feeling. Its intensity increased. He could now feel it throughout his body. It felt familiar. He realized he had sensed this when he used Aura for the first time to save the tree about a year ago. The more he concentrated, the more detailed the vibrations became. He could feel its rhythm, if he could call it that. Much of Riley's past explanations now began to clear up as he actually understood what Aura is. It felt like.. himself.

'Amazing. He got the grasp of Aura within a few hours!' thought Riley. 'It took me weeks to reach this stage, that too after about a year of physical training. Maybe it's because he has such a large amount of Aura in him. I had nowhere near this amount.'

"Excellent. Now, never forget that feeling. Always keep that feeling within you. You have awakened your Aura sense. Now, you can make use of your other senses. But don't forget this feeling. Keep it active within you. It will become a second nature to you, like breathing." Riley instructed.

Ash opened his eyes. He began to listen to other sounds. He tried not to let the feeling slip away. Ash found that it was not too hard, because the Aura seemed to be too large to ignore.

"Except for that feeling, there's no difference. I still see and hear like always." Ash said.

"And you always will. Aura is separate from the other senses. To 'see' or 'hear' using Aura, you do not use your eye or ear. Now, you'll learn to sense the Aura around you. This is the hardest, because you're surrounded by life. Once you search for this feeling to the outer world, you'll find that it's filled with Aura. You'll need to learn to differentiate an Aura from another. The Aura spread in grass is different from that in a shrub. The Aura in you is different from that in me. It varies with the being. You'll need to learn to identify each one. Close your eyes and try it out."

Ash closed his eyes and searched for the familiar feeling outside. Ash felt a sudden jolt, like he was drenched by a bucket of cold water. Scratch that, like he was drenched by a tsunami. The enormity of the feeling he had just discovered intensified to an unbelievable level. It felt like he was surrounded by an ocean from all sides, and the turbulent waves from it were assaulting his mind. He discovered that this was not too different from being stuck in a boat in the middle of an ocean during a tempest. He had experience with that. Frequently, he felt waves crashing into his metaphorical boat, rocking it. _This is Aura? _Ash thought, awestruck. He never imagined that he was blind to such an awesome force that dominated his surroundings so completely. _How could anyone miss this? _He wondered. _It's like the whole world just turned into a vast, infinite ocean._

The problem was, the outside world was teeming with Aura. He could sense it everywhere.

"This is crazy!" he exclaimed. "Aura is everywhere. I'm getting a headache."

Riley smiled. It truly was a wonderful feeling to grasp the enormity of Aura. It was nearly enough to cause those with weak heart to faint. Riley knew that Ash would be feeling the large disturbances in the surroundings. All of Ash's Pokémon were training in the area. Every attack they launched will create a disturbance in the surrounding area. With such a large number of Pokémon sparring, it's no wonder that Ash would feel so overwhelmed. If the location was perfectly peaceful, the feeling would be that of a calm ocean.

"You'll have to adapt to that. Remember, everything has Aura. Even the smallest living beings like bacteria. Thankfully, you won't feel those. But you can feel the trees, the grass, people, Pokémon and the like. You'll need to identify their frequencies, if you can call it that. Its strength is also different. The strongest Aura around you will be Mew. Then, it'll be me and Lucario. I'll pulse my Aura now. Try to locate me with Aura sense. Then, you'll do the same with Lucario. Then we can proceed to other Pokémon, trees, plants etc."

Riley flared up his aura to the best he could. To make his own aura noticeable here was a true challenge, especially with Pikachu and Lucario sparring. His aura flares could not match the sheer power of that clash, but he was closer to Ash, and so was easier to notice. He pulsed his aura at regular intervals, following a definite pattern that would be easy to identify.

Ash concentrated as much as he could to find something that felt like Riley's. After getting acquainted with the aura patterns, Ash learned to distinguish the distances using Aura. Some of the metaphorical waves felt like they were from far away, while some were closer. Slowly, he began to locate a pattern among the chaos. The pattern, he identified, was coming from near him. He had found Riley's aura at last.

Now came the challenging task of identifying an aura without a definite pattern. First, he identified what Riley's Aura felt like. With much effort, he began to search for the same after Riley stopped flaring out the pattern. In the following days, he was asked to find the other aura sources by understanding the size of the aura concentrated in a region.

Needless to say, the following days were very tiring for the guardian in training. He managed to locate Mew, Riley and Lucario by the next day. By the end of the week, Ash had developed his Aura sense so that he could distinguish his Pokémon, Riley, Lucario and Mew. It was hard, to say the least, to filter out a specific aura from the chaos. As Ash gained a better understanding of Aura, he began to find that there is order in the chaos that surrounded him. He began to recognize patterns, both stationary and changing. He understood that the stationary sources of Aura were the trees and plants that surrounded him, and they weren't as strong as the ones that moved around. Ash began to slowly grasp the difference between these stationary patterns and that of Pokémon. The Pokémon and humans seemed to have an extra layer of Aura associated with him, that of emotions, he recognized. This was faint to a level on non-existence in plants or trees. But the Pokémon and humans had a very turbulent layer of aura showcasing their emotions. It was with this that he could distinguish one Pokémon from another.

During physical training, his reflexes had improved dramatically. He could dodge or block some of the blows from Riley. He still couldn't land a blow. His Pokémon too, occasionally trained in concentration along with him, except Latias. Being a Psychic, Latias could concentrate better than even Riley or Lucario. Ash found that Latias and Mew had Auras much different from the others. Riley explained that this was because of their advanced Psychic abilities. Psychics had an extremely high amount of mental power. Their mental discipline was far greater. Thus they had abilities that Aura users didn't possess. But, they didn't have majority of the capabilities of Aura. Mew had Aura abilities, being an exception.

After Ash learned to distinguish one Aura from another, Riley began the part Ash was most interested in. The ability to understand emotions and by extension, understanding Pokémon speech.

"Now, since you've developed your Aura sense sufficiently, we can begin the training of empathetic abilities. For this, you need to concentrate on an Aura. You can read someone's thoughts and even movements by receiving the Aura emanating from others. A person's emotion affects the way his Aura is perceived. Don't worry; everyone has an innate understanding of Aura because of their sensitivity to their own emotions or feelings. You'll be able to identify similar feelings in another's Aura. The same goes for reading thoughts, but it requires utmost concentration." Riley instructed. Ash complied, and eventually was able to discriminate emotional states.

"Now, you can understand Pokémon speech" Riley said with a grin.

"What? But how?" Ash asked, bewildered.

"When someone speaks, their emotions are transmitted to you. You'll be able to read their Aura much better then. So, when a Pokémon speaks, listen to their Aura and you'll understand what they mean. Pokémon are better attuned to Aura, that's why different species of Pokémon can understand each other and humans. Try it out."

"Pikachu, say something now." Ash said, thinking it can't be that easy.

-You're an idiot.- Pikachu said quickly.

"No I'm not! Wait- I understood that!"Ash shouted disbelievingly. He still heard "Pika chu Pikapi" but he understood what it meant, just by listening to Pikachu's Aura at that time. He began asking the other Pokémon, and found out that he could understand them as well. Seeing Ash's excitement, Riley decided to continue the next day. Ash spent the rest of the day 'speaking' with Pokémon.

Ash learned that his Pokémon had learned much even though he couldn't supervise them. Glalie nailed Protect and was strengthening his Ice Beam. Under Mew's guidance, Latias made significant progress. Mew had transformed to a Latias to help her teach the moves. Coupled with Latias' intelligence, this method of training was highly effective. Ash's jaw dropped after hearing the number of attacks Latias had learned. She learned Zen Headbutt, Recover, Ice Beam, Hyper Beam, Thunder and Shadow Ball. Latias was living up to her name as a Legendary Pokémon. Mew was making significant progress in learning human speech as well. He managed to bribe Mew with Cotton Candy, so Mew's services were now available to other Pokémon as well.

'This is the only way to train' Ash realized. He instructed his Pokémon on what to learn and asked Mew to teach his other Pokémon, in exchange for all the candy she could eat.

Ash progressively got better at sensing emotions. He could essentially read the minds of Pokémon that were close to him. His understanding of their feelings was greater for his own Pokémon. Riley explained that emotional bonds had a lot to do with it. The following days were practice for Ash's empathetic abilities. He liked the relaxing afternoon sessions after being beaten to a pulp every morning. Sure, he had improved in fighting, but Riley had years of training over him. In Riley's eyes, Ash's growth in using Aura abilities was astounding. He didn't think it was possible for anyone to learn this fast. It seemed that Ash had a natural aptitude, being close to Pokémon since childhood. Not to mention the large amount of Aura he already possessed.

It was on the first day of the third week of his training that Riley decided Ash to be ready to continue to the next stage.

"Okay Ash, you've almost mastered the art of connecting with Pokémon. It's also possible with humans, but since normal humans can only use Aura to a limited extent, mostly instinctual, you won't be able to read their minds that easily. But, if they want to communicate to you using mind, it'll be possible, as they'll be directing all their attention to you during that time."

"Wait. You mean telepathy?" Ash asked.

"It's not telepathy per se, but more like transmitting and receiving your emotions through Aura. Telepathy is more related to the mind and mental powers. There, you communicate with others by mentally establishing a connection with them. But with Aura, you actually send your thoughts as vibrations of Aura. I've told you that the same thing happens when you speak. But if your Aura is sufficiently strong, you can do this without talking. With sufficient practice, you can transmit and receive your thoughts with even humans that are not adept in Aura." Riley explained.

"What am I, a radio?" Ash joked. "So that's what Sir Aaron's Lucario did. How can I do it?"

"You should concentrate on what you want to convey. Then, extend your Aura to your destination. With sufficient practice, you'll be able to get your message across. First, you'll practice with me. I can read your thoughts if you just direct it to me, because of my understanding of Aura. Try it out."

'Like this?'

'Exactly.'

Ash jumped a little when that 'voice' echoed on his mind.

'It's still like telepathy, right? For convenience, you can call it that, but the way the communication takes place is different. Now, we'll speak this way. I'll know when you have sufficient practice to be able to speak like this to other Pokémon.'

Riley continued to instruct Ash on ways to strengthen his Aura telepathy. As Ash began to 'yell' using his Aura, he was firmly corrected. Apparently, that was not the way to do it.

The following afternoon, Riley asked Ash to try to call Pikachu using his Aura. He reasoned that due to their strong bond, it should be easier with Pikachu. Sure enough, by the end of the day, he succeeded in using Aura telepathy with Pikachu. He still couldn't do the same with his other Pokémon though. But it was just a matter of practice. After three days of practice, he could speak to his Pokémon that were reasonable distances away from him using Aura. Ash decided that even though this will give him an edge in battles, he won't always rely on it, as it was unfair to other opponents.

After Ash had practiced telepathy sufficiently, Riley decided to move on to the decidedly hardest part in the training. Manifesting of one's Aura.

"Manifesting Aura? What's that?" Ash asked dumbly.

"It means you have to change your Aura to a visible form. Let me show you." Riley extended his hands and a bluish glow appeared on them. "Aura is primarily your life energy, so bringing it out will require utmost concentration and control. Never overexert yourself, or you'll lose more Aura than you should. You cannot survive without Aura, so forcing it out is dangerous. You should relax and try to draw it out." Riley explained.

"Wait a minute. This is similar to what I did with Sir Aaron's gloves about a year ago. I had to put a lot of strain to bring out my Aura back then." Ash said.

"That is a dangerous thing to do. The gloves are made of fabric that enhances the use of Aura. The crystal embedded in it helps you to concentrate it, because the natural frequency of the crystal is the same as that of your and Sir Aaron's Aura. That's why both of you can use it. You told me Lucario pushed you away at the end. If he hadn't, you would have ended up like him. You should never force out more Aura than you can afford. Promise me that."

"Okay. I promise." Ash said.

"Now, concentrate your Aura to your palms. Don't strain it. Just redirect the Aura spread throughout your body to that point. Don't force it, just guide it." Riley said, paying attention to the pattern of Ash's Aura flow. Ash did as he was told, but he was not successful. Every time he began to get frustrated, Riley would stop him and tell him to meditate for a while. Riley reasoned that frustration will lead him to accidentally force the Aura instead of guiding it. Needless to say, this was something that would take time to accomplish.

Nevertheless, Ash succeeded in manifesting his Aura as the end of the month drew near. This however, proved to be the first step in advanced Aura training. Though impressed by Ash's progress, Riley did not decrease the pace of the training. If anything, they got more severe by the day. Riley's reasoning was that the end of the month was drawing near and so was their training. He was trying to push as much training as he can to the tight schedule. After learning to manifest Aura, Riley began to instruct Ash on the basics of actually using it. Riley focused on transferring of Aura, as Mew had hinted that Ash needed to do so in order to awaken Lucario.

By the end of the month, Ash was able to transfer small amounts of Aura to Riley. Ash didn't feel exhausted, but maintaining the flow of Aura required utmost concentration, and as Riley had emphasized before, it was not something to be forced. His Pokémon were inspired to work harder following Ash's example. Mew was only too happy to teach them some of the moves from her vast repertoire in exchange for candy and treats. Latias improved her Psychic powers further with Mew's help and sparred often with Pikachu and Charizard. In the beginning, she tried to overpower them, but she quickly realized that it was not possible at her current strength. She used her superior speed and maneuverability to land blows and evade. By the end of the month, sparring with Latias proved to be quite a challenge for both Pokémon, because you had to land a hit to do damage, and it was easier said than done with Latias. She had undoubtedly reached the upper tier among Ash's Pokémon in terms of strength. Her vast move set, which was strengthened by learning Protect, Heal Pulse, Sleep Talk and Hidden Power, further gave her the advantage.

Totodile had evolved during the month of training, and Croconaw learned Dragon Claw, Blizzard, Dig and Protect. Not to be outdone, Glalie learned Crunch, Earthquake, Shadow Ball and Gyro Ball, increasing the type variation in his move set. Turtwig learned Sunny Day, Synthesis, Solar beam and Energy Ball while Bulbasaur learned Giga drain and Seed Bomb. Staravia learned Heat Wave and Hidden Power and gained some much needed battle experience.

"….Holy Mew" was Ash's response after asking his Pokémon about their progress.

"You called?" Mew ever so casually floated beside him.

"…Thank you" Ash managed to speak out.

"You're welcome!" Mew replied, munching some candy.

"And I thought Ash was impressive" Riley contemplated.

-They're spirited- Lucario admitted.

-We improved too!- Pikachu and Charizard cried. They didn't learn any moves because quite honestly, they had more than enough to go by. They couldn't learn as much moves as Latias could.

"I know guys. You all did your best. I'm proud of you all!" Ash said with a broad grin. The Pokémon all cheered.

-Ash, I think I'll return to the valley for now. You'd better call me if any important battles come up! – Charizard said. He knew Ash was unlikely to use him in Gym battles, and training opportunities were slim during travels. Yep, one track mind.

"Okay Charizard. You know the way, right?" Ash asked.

Charizard looked at Ash incredulously. –From Kanto? Are you kidding me? I fly around here all the time. Never know when I'll see Damian. I owe him big time- Charizard had a wide grin, and all the Pokémon suddenly felt sorry for Damian.

"No permanent damage!" Ash warned.

-He won't even know what hit him- Charizard spread his wings and took off, never one for goodbyes.

"What did this Damian fellow do?" Riley asked, feeling Charizard's malice.

"Riley, just remember, never get on Charizard's bad side." Ash said in a forewarning manner.

-Seconded- Riley's Lucario joined, leading to snickering from Pikachu and Latias, who remembered the battle they had a month ago.

Ash turned towards his mentor. "So Riley, let's revive Lucario!"

"I still won't recommend it right now, Ash. You should wait for about a year and then do it. It has much less risk that way." Riley said half-heartedly. He knew Ash wouldn't listen; they've had the same argument countless times over the last month.

"But Riley, Lucario's waiting. You heard Mew, his life is preserved. No one deserves to be stuck like that, much less the hero who saved the tree!" Ash said heatedly.

"There's no convincing you, is there? Fine, you can do it tomorrow. You should rest. We'll get Sir Aaron's gloves from the palace before we go there." Riley relented.

"Alright! Lucario, your wait is almost over!" Ash said with determination. With one last look at the Guardian's training ground, they departed to the castle.

**Post A/N:**

And voila! I used the movie based concept of Aura that I got from Bulbapedia and Wikipedia. I hope the explanations were clear. They were required for the sake of completeness. To put it simply,

Aura is the Life Energy within all beings. It vibrates within the body in a rhythm, giving it life. Basic Aura abilities are explained in this chapter, which are basically empathetic abilities.

I believe Pokémon should be able to choose from a vast variety of moves. I can't make a good battle with just four moves. Latias can learn such a large number of moves in such a short time mostly because of her intelligence.

See you next time on Sinnoh Revamped! Read and Review!


	9. Awaken, Lucario!

**Chapter 9**

**Summary: **FollowAsh Ketchum, aspiring Pokémon master throughout his journey in Sinnoh, where he learns the true elements contributing to a trainer's success- hard work and dedication. He is more serious towards his goal, and thus takes more than just Pikachu with him. Old and new faces join him on his journey, and he strives to undermine a rising threat that affects the very existence of the Pokéverse. Along the way, he reaches within himself and finds out just why he is special.

Not focused on romance, I'm just not good at it XD.

**A/N: Please see the poll on my profile. It relates to legendary Pokémon. Poll whether you want Ash to catch more legendaries or not. If you want him to catch more, select two from the list provided. Those are the only legendaries I consider. Others from Sinnoh are just too powerful. While polling, take into consideration that Latias is part Psychic. So, if you select two more Psychic types, it might unbalance the team dynamic for a tournament.**

Some of you (actually many of you) seem to be Riolu fans rather than Lucario fans. Many reviewers wish that Ash catch the Riolu he will befriend in Sinnoh. I've wanted Sir Aaron's Lucario to be in Ash's team before this story was created. You might even say that was what made me write this story. But, if you guys want it, I'll have Ash catch that Riolu as well. In fact, I have a plot point ready for that. But, if many of you think that having both Riolu AND Lucario is overkill, I'll stick with just Lucario. I personally think I can accommodate Riolu, but tell me your opinion in **reviews**, and I want your reasoning as well if you have any. Now, onward!

**Chapter 9**

**Awaken, Lucario!**

Ash, Riley and his Lucario were now standing in front of the crystalline figures of Sir Aaron and Lucario. Ash had put on Sir Aaron's gloves and was ready to transfer his Aura to Lucario to wake him from his 'sleep'.

"Remember Ash, do not strain or overexert yourself." Riley said.

"Okay. Here goes!" Ash crouched and placed his hands on Lucario's chest. He could detect a very faint pulse of Aura, which probably kept Lucario alive all this time. He transferred his Aura to Lucario, and his Aura shifted its nature to match the way Lucario's Aura pulsed. Ash let the Aura flow for about an hour. Slowly, Lucario's heart started to beat and his body became warmer. A light surrounded Lucario's crystalline form. The glow faded, revealing Lucario looking around confusedly.

'Ash? What happened? How am I still alive?' Lucario asked telepathically.

'Ash revived you with his Aura, Lucario. The tree reintegrated a very small amount of your actual Aura to your body to preserve your life. It wasn't enough for any of the body functions, but your essence of life was still present in you.' Mew explained.

'Mew, are you feeling well now? And how did Ash learn how to control his Aura in such a short time?' Lucario asked.

"Mew is well now. It wasn't a short time, Lucario. You were in a crystalline state for about a year. I taught Ash how to control his Aura." Riley spoke up, as Ash was a bit exhausted from the Aura transfer.

Lucario looked up and saw the Guardian. 'You taught him? A year's training wouldn't be enough to attempt such a feat. It was too risky. You shouldn't have risked his life for me.'

"This was my choice, Lucario. You didn't deserve to be stuck like that after all you did for us. And I've only trained for a month" Ash said, gathering enough energy to speak.

'A Month! That's far too early. You could have-'

'It was not that risky. Like Sir Aaron, he too is the Wielder of the Original Aura. He had more than enough Aura to revive you.' Mew cut Lucario off.

'I surmised as much when I first met him' Lucario said, calming down. 'But it was still not worth the risk. Sir Aaron is no longer with the living. What purpose do I have to live on?'

'The same Aura that was in Sir Aaron now resides in Ash. He needs further training on how to use it. As you were taught by Sir Aaron, you would be best to teach him how to use his Aura. Join him on his journey and help him though his trials. Will you accept this duty?' Mew asked in a serious tone.

'It shall be done, Lady Mew.' Lucario said with respect.

"Are you sure you want to, Lucario? I won't force you. It's your choice." Ash said.

'Then it is my choice to help you. I'll teach you to the best of my ability. My powers are yours to command.' Lucario said, turning to Ash.

'You want to be my Pokémon?' Ash asked disbelievingly. He was expecting Lucario to travel with him, but certainly not this.

'How else will I help you through your trials?' Lucario asked with a slight grin. 'You have my respect, Ash. You demonstrated utmost courage and compassion during the time of crisis for the Tree of Beginning. I shall gladly follow your orders, Master.'

"Okay, but don't call me Master. It feels weird. I'm Ash and I'm your friend, not master."

'If that is what you wish.' Lucario said. 'And thank you for reviving me. I am indebted to you.'

"Hey, that's what friends are for!" Ash said with a grin.

'And thank you, Guardian, for teaching Ash about Aura. If you don't mind, I can teach him from now.' Lucario said, addressing Riley.

"I just did my duty. And I'm sure Ash would advance further under your tutelage. It's an honor to be taught by Sir Aaron's apprentice, after all." Riley replied.

"I'll miss you, Riley." Ash said sarcastically, getting up. His exhaustion caused him to stumble and he almost fell back. He was caught by Latias' Psychic.

'You should rest. It's a miracle you're just exhausted after such a draining ritual. Most people would be unconscious, or worse.' Lucario said.

'To the castle, then' Mew said, and teleported them. The Queen and her aide were quite used to seeing them appear by now.

"Lucario! Are you feeling well? Did the revival go as planned?" The Queen asked. Riley had informed her about it the other day.

'I am well, thank you Lady Ilene. Ash needs to rest, however.' Lucario said.

"You both need to rest" the Queen decided. This proved true and Ash slept through the day and the night. Lucario meditated to fully rejuvenate his Aura. By the next morning, they were fit to travel.

'Lady Ilene, please allow me to travel with Ash to help him through his journey.' Lucario requested.

"Of course, Lucario. Ash, come forward please." Lady Ilene said.

"What is it, Lady Ilene?" Ash asked.

"After someone completes the basic training of Aura, it is traditional for the ruler of this Kingdom to name them an Aura Guardian. Riley informed me that your training with him is over, so do you accept your position as an Aura Guardian?"

"I do" Ash said confidently.

"Then I hereby name you a Guardian of Aura. You are required to wear the garb of an Aura Guardian to identify you as one. Well, maybe not the cape, it's just there as tradition. You should also take Sir Aaron's gloves, you're the only one who can use them." The Queen said, gesturing at a set of cloths brought in by a servant.

"Wow. Cool! Why are these red?" Ash asked, eager to try them on. Everyone except Mew sweat dropped at his behavior.

"The special uniform signifies your position as the Wielder of the Original Aura, and, since you're Sir Aaron's successor, the color red is to honor his sacrifice in defending the Kingdom." Riley explained. Ash's new outfit was similar to Riley's but in ruby red. His hat was also red with a slight bluish tint and the yellow crescent symbol of Aura was embroidered in it. The cloths also had a matching cape with it. (**A/N:** The color is the same as that of Ash's costume as shown in '_**Lucario and the Mystery of Mew' **_American DVD cover. The dress is similar to Riley's.)

Ash changed and presented himself again, and asked. "How do I look?"

"Like a true Guardian" the Queen said, smiling.

Soon, they bode farewell to the Queen and got ready to leave.

"Lucario, if you want to be my Pokémon, I have to capture you in this Pokéball." Ash said, holding out a Pokéball.

'Capture me? What is that contraption?' Lucario asked, eyeing the ball wearily.

"There's nothing to worry about, Lucario. Almost all Pokémon live inside Pokéballs to make travels easier." Riley said. Ash demonstrated by calling out all of his Pokémon. Lucario jumped a little as the Pokémon materialized.

'Ah. Is it like how Sir Aaron sealed me in his staff?' Lucario asked.

Ash sensed that Lucario was a bit reluctant. He couldn't be blamed; he was sealed inside the staff for centuries after all.

"Almost. I can call you back whenever you want. And you can travel outside like Latias and Pikachu if you wish. I just need to er… catch you with this Pokéball first. I'll call you back immediately." Ash said.

'Thank you, Ash. I prefer that. I'm ready.' Lucario said.

Ash extended the Pokéball and tapped Lucario with it. Lucario was transported inside. The ball shook and blinked. The sound indicating capture was heard. As promised, Ash called him out again.

"Guys, meet Lucario, our newest team member." Ash introduced him. Everyone enthusiastically greeted him. Lucario was a bit overwhelmed by their greeting. Meanwhile, Ash took out his Pokédex.

'What's that?' Lucario asked.

"This is a Pokédex. It can tell me all the moves you know." Ash said. He began to scan Lucario.

"Pokémon Lucario. Known moves are Aura Sphere, Detect, Dark Pulse, Foresight, Metal Claw, Counter, Force Palm, Feint, Bone Rush, Close Combat, Dragon Pulse, Extremespeed, Water Pulse, Roar, Hyper Beam, Protect, Iron Tail, Earthquake, Return, Dig, Psychic, Shadow Ball, Brick Break, Rock Tomb, Rest, Sleep Talk, Focus Blast, Endure, Drain Punch, Payback and Iron Defense." The mechanical voice said. Everyone's jaw hit the floor.

'What? I lived during a time of war. Sir Aaron trained me long and hard.' Lucario said.

"Still, thirty one moves? That's insane!" Riley said. His Lucario looked star struck.

-Latias, you and Charizard have competition.- Pikachu said. He was determined to expand his own move set as well.

'No Kidding.' Latias said, getting over the initial shock.

'That's not such a big deal, I know more moves than I can count' Mew said cheerfully.

"Yeah, but you've lived for a million years" Ash said, recalling the rest of his Pokémon.

'More like a billion' Mew murmured. Everyone's jaw hit the floor again.

"Holy… Is that even possible?" Ash asked disbelievingly.

'You're looking at the proof right in front of you. Besides, you've seen Ho-Oh and Lugia. They're near my age too.' Mew said.

"Well, we have to get back to Sinnoh. Thank you Mew, for everything." Riley said.

'I'll drop you off there. Are any of your old friends in Sinnoh?' Mew asked.

"Yeah, Brock's still there. Why?" Ash asked.

'I can teleport you to his location.' Mew said. She searched for Brock's presence in Sinnoh, extending her Psychic powers. Soon, she found it and immediately Ash, Pikachu, Riley, Lita, Mew and the two Lucarios vanished.

Meanwhile, near Eterna City, Dawn was in the middle of a battle with Lucian of Sinnoh's Elite four. Her Buizel had asked for a battle with Lucian after watching him defeat a trainer in television. Buizel had just got up after taking a Gyro Ball attack.

"Buizel has a high amount of fighting spirit. Unfortunately, this battle is over. Bronzong, use Flash Cannon!" Lucian said.

"Buizel, dodge it!" Dawn shouted frantically. Buizel disobeyed her, however, and fired off his own Water Gun attack. The attacks raced towards the centre of the field. Unfortunately, that was where Mew decided to show up with the others, not knowing the danger. With barely seconds to react, Ash and Riley were able to jump away from the attacks, Ash taking Pikachu with him. He realized his mistake immediately, as Latias was still in human form. Riley's Lucario fired an Aura sphere at Buizel's water gun, and Ash's Lucario fired another at the approaching Flash Cannon. Their constant training in battles helped them to react to such situations. The Water Gun was stopped in its tracks, but the Flash cannon only slowed down. Lita immediately threw her hands up to stop it with her Psychic, but her powers were limited in human form. As Lucian snapped out of the shock and urged Bronzong to stop, Mew decided to 'push' back the attack with her Psychic. Her power boosted Latias' efforts considerably, and the Psychic powered Flash Cannon was sent back to Bronzong. It crashed to a nearby tree due to the attack's power.

"Wha… Are you alright?" Dawn asked, worried.

"We're fine.." Lita replied.

"Holy Mew! I'm sorry. I didn't know someone would teleport to the middle of the battlefield." Lucian apologized.

'Apology accepted' Mew's telepathic voice rang out. That was when everyone noticed the presence of the pink legendary.

"Is that?.." Dawn asked weakly.

"The Legendary Mew? Yes." Brock answered with a slight smile. Lucian was awestruck after seeing perhaps the most powerful Psychic type in existence levitating before him.

"Hey Lucian, snap out of it." Riley said in a teasing tone.

"Huh? What? Riley? Aren't you training the Wielder of the Original Aura or something? Cynthia told me about it after the last meeting." Lucian said, confused. Like many strong trainers, the Elite four were members of the Pokémon G-Men.

"His training with me is over. Lucian, meet Ash Ketchum, the Wielder of the Original Aura and the newest Aura guardian. Ash, meet Lucian of the Elite Four." Riley introduced.

"Wow! An elite four member? It's an honor to meet you, Sir." Ash said.

"Glad to meet you too. I wasn't expecting someone so young." Lucian said.

"Ash, what's with the costume?" Dawn asked.

"Hey! This is not a costume; this is the Aura Guardian uniform." Ash said indignantly.

"Isn't the normal color blue? And who's the new Lucario?" Brock asked.

'Red signifies his position as wielder of the Original Aura. Don't you recognize me, Brock?' Lucario asked in a tone of mock hurt. Everyone was taken aback by the new voice, not expecting the Lucario to know telepathy.

"Lucario? But I thought you.." Brock trailed off.

'Ash revived me with his Aura.' Lucario explained.

"A Lucario with telepathic abilities? How interesting." Lucian murmured.

"You've heard of the Lucario who was Sir Aaron's apprentice, haven't you?" Riley asked.

"I've read about him. Are you telling me..?" Lucian shot Riley a questioning look.

"This is the very same Lucario in the legends." Riley said.

'Who is this guy, Brock? That Bronzong is incredibly strong.' Lita asked Brock discreetly.

'That's Lucian of the Elite Four. He is a very strong trainer of Psychic types.' Brock answered in his mind.

'Ash, can I battle him? His Bronzong looks strong. I want to know how strong I am compared to it.' Latias said, now directing her telepathy to Ash.

'Are you sure Latias?' Ash asked with concern.

'Yes. May I ask him?'

'Okay.' Ash said, inspired by Latias' confidence.

"Excuse me, Sir, but may I please battle your Bronzong?" Lita asked Lucian politely.

Lucian, who was admiring Mew, turned to face her. "Well, I don't.." He trailed off, as Bronzong began to get very excited. "Looks like Bronzong want a battle. Alright, which Pokémon do you choose?" Lucian said with a slight smile.

Lita had a mischievous glint in her eyes. She walked to the other end of the battlefield and said. "Me."

"What do you-" Lucian was interrupted as Lita began to shift her form and transformed to the Legendary Eon Dragon. For the second time that day, Lucian was slack jawed in amazement. So was Buizel, but Bronzong had detected it with its Psychic powers.

"I'm Latias' trainer, actually." Said Ash, taking the opposing end of the battlefield. Everyone else cleared the area. "Lucario, please watch. This is how Pokémon battles take place in our time. " Ash explained.

'So I shall be battling like this? Very well, I shall watch.' Lucario said.

"What do you mean, you'll be battling?" asked Dawn, confused.

'I am one of Ash's Pokémon now.' Lucario elaborated. 'Oh, and nice to meet you.'

"Nice to meet you as well. Brock told me what happened at the Tree of Beginning." Dawn said. Meanwhile, Brock took the place as Referee.

"This is a one on one Pokémon battle between Lucian of the Elite Four and Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town. Ready?" He asked.

"Yes." They answered in unison.

"Then Begin!"

"Let's see if your speed is as great as the legends tell. Bronzong, Hyper Beam!" Lucian instructed. Bronzong launched the attack, but was too late as Latias had already moved.

'Fast indeed' Lucian thought. "Shadow Ball!" He ordered.

"Counter with your own Shadow Ball!" Ash shouted. The attacks cancelled each other.

"Now, use Thunder!" Ash ordered. Latias fired a Thunder which hit Bronzong. It didn't seem to affect it, however.

"Gyro Ball Now!" Lucian ordered. The attack hit and Latias was pushed back.

"Latias, use Hidden Power!" Ash took advantage of Bronzong's proximity. The attack landed, but again did next to zero damage.

"Bronzong may be slow, but we have endurance to cover it up! Shadow Ball again!" Lucian shouted. The attack landed and Latias flinched under the effective move.

"Use Mist Ball Now!" Ash shouted.

'What's that? It must be a signature move that Legendaries seem to have. It's best to be cautious.' Lucian decided. "Dodge it, Bronzong!"

Latias amassed her Psychic energy and coalesced it into a ball. She fired the Mist Ball, which followed Bronzong and hit it, surrounding it with the Psychic mist. Even with its incredible resistance to Psychic moves, its energy began to drain.

'An unavoidable attack. I should have known.' "Shadow Ball Now!" Lucian ordered. The Shadow ball that resulted had a very low power compared to the previous one.

"Now's your chance! Thunder, full power!" Ash ordered. The resulting Thunder knocked off the weaker Shadow Ball and hit Bronzong.

"Follow up with Hyper Beam!" Ash shouted. The Hyper Beam was released, and it hit Bronzong, resulting in an explosion.

"Alright!" Ash yelled triumphantly. A second later, his excitement was replaced by disbelief. The smoke had not cleared, but Bronzong's Aura was still pulsing strongly. Ash could tell that it would take a lot more to win the battle.

"Gyro Ball, now!" Lucian's voice was heard. Sensing Latias with its Psychic powers, Bronzong began to spin and hit her with high momentum. Latias crashed to the ground, but got up.

"Latias has good endurance, Ash, but Bronzong is better. Now it's time to use Latias' speed against her. Bronzong, use Trick Room!" Lucian said triumphantly.

Bronzong's eyes glowed red and the field was enveloped by a blue transparent rectangle with transparent walls and ceiling.

"What's this?" Ash asked, having never heard of the move before. "Use Shadow ball!"

"Let's just say, the tables have turned. Use Gyro Ball!"

Bronzong suddenly acted, outmatching Latias in speed. The Gyro Ball rammed into Latias and she crashed to the ground again.

'This move enables the slower combatant to attack first. Be wary.' Lucario warned, having seen the move before.

'Thank you Lucario.' Ash mentally thanked Lucario. 'This is bad, Latias' battle strategy depends on speed. To make matters worse, she's hurt. I hope this works.'

'Latias, Recover!' Ash said using telepathy. Latias grinned, and used the move. Bronzong watched on; Lucian hadn't commanded him, so he couldn't attack.

'What? Recover? He's using telepathy! Two can play at that game. Bronzong, Flash Cannon!' Being Lucian's strongest and most experienced Pokémon, Bronzong picked up Lucian's thoughts and launched Flash Cannon, which hit Latias as her recovery was complete. She was damaged again.

Ash became frustrated. 'I'll have to anticipate Bronzong's moves. Latias, Giga Impact!' Ash said with telepathy.

Lucian only saw the Giga impact a bit too late, so the attack hit Bronzong. Surprisingly, Bronzong still stood strong and Ash stared at it disbelievingly.

"Payback!" Lucian grinned. Bronzong stored up the shock of the Giga Impact and returned it to Latias with twice the power. Combined with the Flash Cannon and her exhaustion after using Giga Impact, Latias fainted. Mew proceeded to heal both Pokémon. Buizel stared in awe at the battle. Both Latias and Bronzong battled extremely well. He doubted if he could have damaged Bronzong, given how many of the Legendary's attacks it shrugged off.

"That was an excellent battle, Ash. Very few trainers last this long against me. Many lose their cool after Trick Room, but you were able to think an effective counter strategy in the middle of the battle." Lucian congratulated.

"Thank you, Lucian. But Latias deserves most of the credit. She withstood a succession of powerful attacks." Ash said. Latias, who was now fully healed thanks to Mew, smiled at the praise.

"Indeed she does deserve praise for her performance. I'm honored to be given a chance to battle you, Latias." Lucian said, turning to her. In a single day, two Legendary Psychic Pokémon he had dreamed of meeting for ages appeared before him.

"Thank you. It was an honor to battle such a strong trainer as well." Latias replied.

"Ash, that was incredible! But what happened during the last part of the battle?" Dawn asked.

"Well, Lucario said Trick Room gives the slower Pokémon the chance to attack first, so I decided to command Latias with telepathy. After all, you can't attack first if you aren't told, and I thought Lucian would have difficulty to respond if he didn't know what move Latias was using. I didn't expect you to use telepathy though." He said, turning to Lucian.

"Bronzong is the only Psychic Pokémon I have that is capable of reading my mind during battles. As an Aura Guardian, you should be able to command all your Pokémon nonverbally, correct?" Lucian asked.

"Yes, I can. But I'm not using it under normal circumstances because it takes the fun out of the battle." Ash said.

"Wow, Ash. You've learned a lot during your training, haven't you?" Brock asked.

"Yeah. Riley trained me hard." Ash said.

'Ash, I have something to tell you' Mew's telepathic voice chirped.

"What is it, Mew?" Riley asked. Everyone's attention was now on her.

'I just made a Prophecy!' She said. Ash paled. "Not another one!" he shouted. Everyone was confused by his behavior.

'Relax, it'll happen weather I tell you or not. Better be prepared.' She said.

"Prepared for what?" Riley asked, with a feeling of dread.

Mew cleared her throat and uttered in human speech.

"Beware, Hero, for your path is not easy,

For beings corrupt, get drawn to He

To harness His power, destroy the world you see.

But Wielder of His Aura, _No Need To Worry!_

For you are not alone, have friends you see

And help you, they will, with your quests and fights.

You shall calm the Gods of Time, Space and Matter,

(-or maybe Antimatter? But that doesn't matter!)

And withstand His Judgment, make Him see the Light

You shall defeat the darkness; Behold, the light!

Relish the glory! Fun, Delight!"

"…That doesn't sound good" Latias concluded.

"Indeed it doesn't." Riley agreed. 'Could she be referring to Team Galactic's plans?' he wondered. The fact that Mew learned to talk like humans seemed of no importance now.

"She made my catchphrase into a pun?" Dawn asked disbelievingly.

"At least it wasn't you name" Ash muttered, remembering the Shamouti Prophecy.

"Could you maybe explain that?" Lucian asked hopefully.

'Sorry, what's the fun in that? Bye!' Mew teleported away, leaving them staring at an empty space.

"Looks like we'll have to send this to headquarters" Lucian said, addressing Riley.

"Yeah. They'll want to know." Riley replied.

"What headquarters?" Ash asked.

"Ash, Lance has told you about the Pokémon G-Men when he met you, right?" Riley asked.

"Yeah." Ash replied. "He didn't explain much about it, though."

"The Pokémon G-Men is an organization set up by the Pokémon League. We are always on the lookout for crimes relating to Pokémon. We operate on Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh. All the regional champions, elite four members and a few strong trainers like Riley are part of this group. Recently, the International Police warned us about a criminal organization based on Sinnoh. Apparently, they're after Dialga and Palkia and they call themselves Team Galactic. Their objectives are still largely unknown, which is why we think this Prophecy may relate to them." Lucian explained.

"How in the world can they hope to catch Dialga and Palkia? They're deities of space and time! Once, I've felt Dialga pass near Alto Mare. I've never felt such a large amount of power, not even Mew comes close." Latias said incredulously.

"We have to be cautious. There's no telling what'll happen if they succeed." Riley said.

"We'll watch out for them during our travels." Ash promised. Riley and Lucian bid farewell and departed, wanting to send a copy of the Prophecy to headquarters. Dawn showed Ash her first Ribbon and her new Pokémon, Buizel and Pachirisu. They headed back to Eterna city, as the eventful day came to an end.

**Post A/N: **I couldn't resist adding a Prophecy, just for the kicks. We have Latias' first battle. None of them used Psychic type moves due to their mutual resistance.

Don't forget to vote on the poll regarding legendaries! The poll is in my profile. Leave your opinion on the Aura sphere using Riolu joining Ash** in Reviews. **

The next update may take a while.

**Feed me with your Reviews please! **


	10. Red Alert!

**Chapter 10**

**Summary: **FollowAsh Ketchum, aspiring Pokémon master throughout his journey in Sinnoh, where he learns the true elements contributing to a trainer's success- hard work and dedication. He is more serious towards his goal, and thus takes more than just Pikachu with him. Old and new faces join him on his journey, and he strives to undermine a rising threat that affects the very existence of the Poke verse. Along the way, he reaches within himself and finds out just why he is special.

Not focused on romance, I'm just not good at it XD.

**A/N: To those who missed it, please take the poll on my profile. Poll whether you want Ash to catch more legendaries or not. If you want him to catch more, select two from the list provided. Please keep in mind that Latias is already part Psychic.**

Woo Hoo! Welcome to the 100+ review club! I'd like to thank all of my reviewers for this. Let's try to make this at 300+ by the time we reach chapter 20, Ne?

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. The characters and other elements of this story are the copyrighted property of Pokémon or its affiliates and licensors. This fan fiction is purely for enjoyment and no desire of profit comes out of it.**

**Chapter 10**

**Red Alert!**

"Ouch!" a voice was heard in the darkness.

'What the hell?' Ash groaned. He opened his eyes. He knew he was in the Eterna city Pokémon centre. He was woken up by a blow in the head. He could see nothing immediately, but he used his Aura vision and saw Lucario was standing near him.

'Wake up. It's time to start our daily training.' Lucario's voice said in his mind.

'In the city? Are you crazy?' Ash telepathically yelled.

'We'll escape from this stone jungle and train in the forest nearby' Lucario said.

Ash grumbled. He thought these early mornings training would end when Riley left. Apparently not. He got up and quietly opened the door. Ash and Lucario left the room. Pikachu, who had woken up, followed them. He had gotten used to Ash getting up early and woke up before daybreak. Latias sensed that they left, but decided to get some more sleep.

The centre's Nurse Joy was dozing in the counter. As they left the building, Ash noted that it was still way too early for his taste. They noticed that sirens were sounding throughout the city. They had no idea what was happening, so decided not to get involved. Fate was not so kind and decided to involve them.

"Halt, in the name of the law!" A voice blared from a loudspeaker. A most unholy smell reached them. Lights focused on Ash, Pikachu and Lucario. An Officer Jenny appeared, followed by a skunk-like Pokémon.

"Culprit identified and surrounded. Male dressed in red. Culprit has a Pikachu and Lucario outside Pokéball." Jenny said through a radio, while Police surrounded them.

"Hang on, I didn't do anything!" Ash said, confused at the turn of events. Lucario had already taken a defensive stance.

"You are under arrest for theft of the Adamant Orb from the Eterna City Museum earlier this night. You have the right to remain silent." Officer Jenny said.

"Hold on-" Ash's protests were cut short as handcuffs were placed on him. Lucario got ready to attack, being unfamiliar with the Police.

'Lucario, stop! They are Law enforcers, called police. They think we've stolen something. It's a misunderstanding, but if you attack them, things will only get worse.' Ash said telepathically. Lucario calmed down and soon, they were off to the station. Ash's training kept him from panicking in such situations. He kept a cool head, but denied the charges. However, the Police weren't convinced as they were found in 'suspicious circumstances'. Apparently, their early morning training was mistaken and the police thought they were escaping after the theft that had taken place earlier. Ash glared at Lucario, who looked sheepish.

Ash, Lucario and Pikachu were now confined to the interrogation room of the Police Department. Apparently, someone was coming to question them. After three hours of waiting, the doors of the room opened. Ash could see a silhouetted figure walking in his direction. He and his Pokémon were sitting around a table illuminated by a bright light and the rest of the room was dark.

The figure stopped near him. Ash still couldn't see the face of his interrogator. He then heard a disbelieving voice.

"Ash? What are you doing here?"

"You know me? Please, this is a misunderstanding! I'm an Aura Guardian and I was leaving the city for early morning training with my Lucario. The Police accused me of robbery, but I don't know anything, honest!" Ash said, taking the chance.

"Well, that adds up. Sorry, the police can get a little excited." The voice said. The light above Ash was switched off and the whole room was illuminated by another light. Ash could now see that his interrogator was none other than Lance, the Kanto and Johto Champion.

"Lance? How?" Ash asked, surprised.

Lance sat down opposite to them and explained. "Lucian told you about the G-Men, right? As soon as we were notified that the Adamant Orb was stolen from the Eterna City Museum, I teleported here. We had to investigate, as this was most likely the work of Team Galactic. I came here when I heard the 'criminal' was found. Imagine my surprise when I saw you here."

"Team Galactic? You mean the group after Dialga and Palkia? What does the Adamant Orb, or whatever it's called, got to do with them?" Ash asked.

"The Adamant Orb is related to the space-time legend of Sinnoh. They want to use it for their evil purposes to further their goals, whatever they are. Now, it's time to get you out of here." Lance said.

**Meanwhile, outside the Police Station**

"I'm telling you Officer, Ash is innocent!" Dawn said to Officer Jenny, who was looking resolute.

"He was found in suspicious circumstances and is being interrogated. The court will decide his innocence." Jenny said.

Dawn, Lita, and Gardenia, the Eterna City Gym leader who they had befriended during the period of Ash's absence, were trying to convince Jenny of Ash's innocence. It wasn't working. Brock, who was flirting as usual, was of no help. Lita had no experience with the police and Gardenia didn't know Ash personally. She didn't have much ground to claim his innocence. The police were reasonably skeptical of Dawn. A ten year old girl was not enough to convince them. Lita had sensed that Ash was inside the Police station when he had not returned by breakfast time.

"I'm free!" Ash yelled, running out of the police station. Jenny whirled around.

"Prisoner escape! Prisoner esc-"

"Actually Ma'am, he said the kid was innocent" An officer who came behind him said. Jenny looked bewildered.

"Ash! You're okay!" Dawn said, relieved. Latias looked relieved as well.

"That was quick. How did they decide so fast?" Gardenia asked.

"I knew the interrogator." Ash grinned.

"But you were present near the scene of the crime." Jenny said, unconvinced.

"He's innocent officer. I know him, he's a hero, not a villain" Lance said, emerging from the police station.

"Lance? What are you doing here?" Brock asked, recovering from a Poison Jab courtesy of Croagunk.

"Investigating." Lance said. "Apparently, the police got the wrong guy."

"Who's he?" Dawn asked. Everyone looked at her incredulously.

"He's Lance, the Champion of Johto and Kanto." Gardenia supplied.

"Are you sure the kid's not guilty?" Jenny asked.

"I know him, Jenny. He's responsible for bringing down two criminal organizations in Hoenn and foiling several of Team Rocket's schemes. On top of that, he's an Aura Guardian like he claimed. Contact Hoenn or Kanto police if you're still doubtful." Lance said exasperatedly. Jenny looked at Ash incredulously.

"Told ya I was innocent." Ash grinned cheekily.

"Well, I'm sorry for the misunderstanding" Jenny said, looking decidedly embarrassed.

'A champion to vouch for him. You can't top that.' Gardenia thought, amused.

"I need to investigate the scene of the crime. I'd like to take Ash with me, please." Lance said. The officer complied. The rest of the group tagged along and they reached Eterna City Museum.

"Why do you want me, Lance?" Ash asked.

"You're a guardian, right? Can't you track down the thief by scanning his residue Aura near the scene of the crime?" Lance asked.

'He hasn't advanced that far yet. However, I can help you.' Lucario's telepathic voice cut in. The police and Gardenia were startled by the 'talking' Pokémon.

"Thank you Lucario. Please help us" Lance said. Lucario began to scan the area.

"Oh dear, they got one already?" A feminine voice was heard. Everyone turned around to see a girl with pink hair and pink dress. (Guess who?)

"Who are you and how did you get in here? This is a restricted area." Jenny said.

Ash took a moment to register who it was and his jaw hit the ground. "Me- I mean Melinda? Why are you here?" Ash asked. Lucario immediately recognized the Aura and turned around. Latias too, was perplexed by her presence.

"Oh, I was just in the area" Mew (in human form) said, evading both questions. She began to look around.

"You'll have to leave" Jenny said.

"I can help!" Melinda said, looking determined.

"Sorry Miss, but I don't see how you can. Even if Ash knows you, you'll have to leave" Lance said. He was slightly suspicious because of what Melinda had first said, as if she knew this would happen.

"I'm a Psychic. I can help to scan and find the thieves." Melinda said, determined not to leave. This got Lance's attention.

"A likely story" Jenny said, still skeptical. Suddenly, Melinda began to levitate.

"Believe me now?" she asked. Jenny's eyes were as big as saucers.

'Mew, you'll give yourself away!' Ash said in alarm.

'I know human Psychics can do stuff like this Ash. I need to be here right now.' Mew replied. 'If those humans want to mess with us Legendaries, I certainly won't make things easy for them!'

"Alright, I guess you can help. Can you track them?" Lance asked, still a bit reluctant. Melinda's feet touched the ground and her eye began to glow slightly. Lucario too, began to search. Mew began to extend her Psychic powers throughout the town and found the orb's presence. The city was in a lockdown, so the thieves had not escaped yet. Lucario began to run in their direction as Mew confirmed their location. The rest of the group followed. They reached the outskirts of the city and heard the sound associated with a helicopter. They saw a green haired grunt climbing a rope ladder to an airborne copter.

"Stop! You're under arrest!" Jenny shouted, but her words fell do deaf ears. Mew extended her hand and used Psychic force to rip the ladder out of the copter. She grabbed hold of the grunt and slowed his descent. Everyone could see the Adamant Orb in his hands. What attracted Lance's attention was the yellow G on his uniform.

"What should we do, commander?" A grunt from the helicopter's seat asked. Commander Saturn was clenching his fists in anger.

"If I'm not mistaken, that's Lance, the Dragon Master down there with the Police. What do you think we should do?" Saturn asked sarcastically. The helicopter turned around and the rest of Team Galactic made their escape. They weren't prepared to face another Champion. They learned as much during the recent setback in Oreburgh City.

"We're grateful for your help." The officer said, placing a handcuff on the grunt. "We'll see to it that the orb's security is doubled."

"Always happy to help." Melinda chirped.

"All the same, it's awfully suspicious you came just at the right time and stopped them that easily. And your first words make me believe you were expecting this to happen. Are you sure you can trust her, Ash?" Lance asked, since Ash was the only one who seemed to know her.

Ash was sweating bullets. How was he supposed to tell Lance that this was not an ordinary girl, but a legendary Psychic Pokémon in disguise?

"How do you know her, Ash?" Dawn asked curiously. Melinda's sound and abilities had given her away and Brock had already deduced who she was.

"I met her in Cameran." Ash said, which was almost true. Technically, they first met in New Island.

"Hey, I just came to Sinnoh for a vacation, that's all. While I was passing by the city, I found these suspicious looking characters yesterday evening. As I'm a Psychic, I found out that they were after the orbs. I decided to report to the Police today morning, as it was quite late. But they got ahead of me." Whatever be her other faults, Mew knew how to cook up a good lie. She didn't know they were going to steal it today. True, she could see glimpses of the future, but that was it. She decided to check on the Orb only to find it missing.

"You should have told us sooner" Jenny said, frustrated.

"No harm done." Melinda said. Jenny wasn't too convinced, an entire copter full of criminals got away.

"What's your job in Cameron?" Lance asked, interested.

"I… take care of the Tree of Beginning." Mew decided not to lie if she could help it. Lance assumed Melinda worked for the Palace and left it at that. Dawn comprehended the inner meaning but her presence of mind helped her to not point and say 'ohmygoditsMew!'

"Sorry for being suspicious. It's part of the job." Lance said sheepishly.

"What job?" Melinda asked.

"I'm part of a crime fighting organization called Pokémon G-Men." Lance replied.

"Cool. What's your name?" Melinda asked.

Silence.

No one expected a native of Kanto to not recognize their own Champion.

"You don't get around much, do you? That's Lance. The champion of Kanto." Jenny elaborated.

"Wow. What's a Champion?" Melinda asked. Lita face palmed.

'Mew, stop asking stupid questions. I'll tell you later!' Latias said with telepathy. Mew quickly covered up.

"Just kidding! Of course I know what a Champion is! Ha ha. What? I do! After all, I'm the legendary-"

"-Caretaker of the Tree of beginning. Yeah, we know!" Latias quickly cut in. Geez, Mew wasn't very good at pretending to be a human.

'Legendary.. Caretaker?' Gardenia was rightfully confused.

"So, can I join this Pokémon G-Men?" Mew asked. Everyone who knew her identity gaped.

"It isn't that simple. You'll have to undergo training.."

"I'm willing!" Melinda cut in.

"Are you even a Pokémon trainer?" Lance asked skeptically.

"Well… No…" Melinda said. Everyone sweat dropped.

"But Pokémon will listen to me!" Melinda added cheerfully.

"Pokémon trainers need to command respect from their Pokémon. If you're not even a trainer, I highly doubt any Pokémon will listen to you." Lance said seriously. They were walking back to the city.

"Pokémon do respect me. Don't you, Lucario?" Mew asked, turning to Lucario.

'Of course, Lady Me- Melinda!' Lucario nearly slipped up.

'Lady..Melinda? Who is she? Maybe someone from the royal court? That might explain Lucario's respect.' Lance thought.

"When you're in the field, you'll need to have Pokémon with you to be of any help." Lance said firmly.

"Wild Pokémon will listen to me!" Melinda tried again.

'Is she that strong a Psychic? She might be able to help.' Lance thought. "What if there are no wild Pokémon?" he asked.

"I'll just call one of the Pokémon I know from back home. I can teleport them here." Melinda said.

"What? That's impossible!" Lance said.

"I'll prove it!" Mew said stubbornly.

'Please don't tell me you're about to do what I think you're about to do.' Latias begged mentally. She only received a very Mew-ish giggle in reply.

"Fine. If you can at least hold on your own for ten seconds in a Pokémon battle against me, I'll admit you to Pokémon G-Men." Lance said. Trainers had to be good to even hold ten seconds against his Dragonite. He was still unconvinced how Melinda planned to battle.

"We can use the Gym for the battle." Gardenia volunteered. 'This I have got to see!'

So, they arrived at the Eterna City gym. Lance called out his Dragonite. To his utter astonishment, Dragonite bowed deeply to Melinda the moment he saw her.

"See? Even your Pokémon respect me!" Melinda said happily.

'That does it. I'm stumped. Just who _is_ she?' Lance thought. "Choose your Pokémon."

"Hmm.. A dragon type. I know!" Mew said happily. Ash had an epiphany. 'Oh boy.'

Suddenly, the earth shook as a _very _heavy object landed. Almost everyone had their jaw dropped to ground.

'Are you _trying_ to blow your cover?' Latias thought exasperatedly.

"I choose Regice!" Melinda said cheerfully.

"Regice? The ice type _legendary _Pokémon? She transported it all the way from the Tree of Beginning? That confirms it. She beat Sabrina by a mile for the title of the strongest Psychic in the world. And I just have to defeat it in ten seconds. No sweat." Lance thought sarcastically. Lance had heard of the existence of the legendary golems Regice was looking round confusedly until it saw 'Melinda'. It let out a sound of annoyance.

"Regice, be a dear and help me out, please? That Dragonite thinks he can beat you." Mew said, cunningly appealing to its pride. Regice glared at Dragonite, who was, for the first time in many years, nervous.

"Begin!"The referee said, shaking out of stupor.

"Dragonite, Hyper beam, full power!" Lance shouted. He really didn't want to be beat by someone who wasn't even a trainer.

"Protect!" Mew shouted. She had seen Ash doing a few practice battles, and knew what to do.

A powerful beam of energy was released as Dragonite demonstrated its signature move. A colossal explosion resulted when it crashed into Regice's shield.

"Well, legendary or not, that's it for Regice." Gardenia decided.

"It's not over." Ash said. Regice's Aura was still strong. Before everyone's disbelieving eyes, Regice was still standing. Though, to Dragonite's credit, it was damaged.

"Use Lock On and then Blizzard!" Mew said. The air grew to bone chilling cold as the blizzard struck its target. Dragonite cried from the extremely effective attack. But that was far from enough.

"Dragonite, use-" Lance was cut off.

"It's thirty seconds now!" Melinda said happily.

"Wha- Oh, right. Sorry. Dragonite, return!" Lance said. He was amazed at this new trainer, if he could call her that. She commanded a legendary golem. Now that was impressive. Not to mention her godly Psychic powers (if he only knew). She would make a great addition to the Pokémon G-Men.

"Does this mean you'll change the organization's name now? Since I'm a girl?" Melinda asked.

Lance sweat dropped. "It's just a name we have. We have some female trainers already. Are you sure you want to join? It'll be dangerous." Lance said seriously.

"Danger is my middle name!" Melinda said.

'Don't we know it!' Thought Ash and Brock simultaneously.

"Alright, you can come with me after you contact your home." Lance said.

"Okay!" Mew said, teleporting away. Seconds later, Regice vanished as well.

'Things are going to get interesting' Lance thought dryly.

"I wonder how this will work out?" Ash said aloud.

"Knowing Melinda, she's sure to make things.. lively" Lita said.

"That's a curious friend you have" Lance said, turning to Ash and his friends. "When she comes back, tell her I'll be waiting near the east road out of the city. Bye!" He waved and departed. Ash and friends waved back.

"Chances are, he'll find she's already there" Lita said in an amused voice.

""I'm willing to bet my badges on that. Not that I have many." Ash murmured. "Now that the battle is over, can I have my gym battle?" Ash asked, turning to Gardenia.

"Sure, it'll be a three on three." Gardenia informed him.

Ash considered for a second, and then told Lucario to stay with the others. His other Pokémon needed the experience, and he didn't want to clean sweep a Gym battle.

"Go, Cherubi!" Gardenia said, hurling a Pokéball. In a flash of white, a small round Pokémon with deep pink body appeared. It had a short stem with two big, green leaves and what looked like a smaller, second head.

"I choose Staravia!" Ash decided to give his Sinnoh Pokémon some much needed battle experience.

"Type isn't everything! Use Leech Seed!"

The Leech seed shot out from Cherubi and headed for Staravia.

"Dodge with Aerial Ace!" Ash commanded. Staravia dived at high speeds, evading the leech seed. Then, he momentarily disappeared from vision and rammed into Cherubi at high velocity. The force of the attack sent Cherubi skidding back.

"Solar Beam!" Gardenia ordered. Instantly, a white beam of synthesized energy was fired by Cherubi.

"Staravia, dodge!" Ash instructed, worried about the speed of the attack. Even with his speed, Staravia still got hit, but not full force as he had succeeded in moving a little.

"Use Wing Attack!" Ash said, taking the opportunity.

"Cherubi, dodge!"

Staravia's wings glowed as he attacked Cherubi, but Cherubi effortlessly dodged. Staravia continue with the attack, but Cherubi kept dodging, her speed increased by her Chlorophyll ability.

"Use Take Down!" Gardenia instructed. After dodging another of Staravia's attempts, she hit Staravia using Take Down.

"Heat Wave!" Ash said triumphantly.

"Oh no, get out of there!" Gardenia said. It was too late, as the wave of heat hit Cherubi at close range. Cherubi seemed to be at the end of the rope, barely hanging on with willpower.

"Fire a Solarbeam!" Gardenia said desperately.

"Double Team!" Ash countered. Multiple copies of Staravia surrounded Cherubi and the Solarbeam passed through one of the copies.

"Quick Attack, Followed by Wing Attack!" Ash instructed. Cherubi, who was exhausted from the Solar Beam and the damage from before, couldn't respond in time as the Wing Attack hit her.

-I'm gonna sleep now…- Cherubi muttered, before fainting. Ash sweat dropped.

"Thank you Cherubi, you did great! Now, it's your turn Turtwig!" Gardenia called out her second Pokémon.

-Bring it on!- Turtwig shouted, a determined look on his face.

"Confident, aren't ya?" Ash asked, smiling. "Staravia, Whirlwind!"

A miniature storm picked up in the arena. Turtwig was digging his heels to the ground, lest he be lifted up.

"Don't let up, Turtwig, use Energy Ball!" Gardenia commanded. A round ball of energy was formed in Turtwig's mouth and he launched it at Staravia.

"Use Hidden Power to counter it!" Ash ordered. Glowing white spheres orbited around Staravia before smashing into the Energy Ball and negating it. Smoke obscured the arena. Ash grinned and located Turtwig.

"Aerial Ace over there!" Ash pointed, and Staravia obeyed. The attack hit and Turtwig skidded back, as the smoke cleared.

"How did you do that?" Gardenia asked, bewildered.

"Aura Guardian, remember?" Ash said with a grin.

"Wow, that's useful." Brock observed.

"Well, it won't help you win the match! Mega Drain!" Gardenia said. Vines extended from Turtwig and rounded on Staravia, who still hadn't flown out of reach. Energy began to get sucked out of Staravia.

"Heat Wave now!" Ash said, not panicking. Staravia again emitted a wave of heat, scorching Turtwig, who was forced to let go of Staravia.

"Follow up with Wing Attack!" Ash pressed the advantage. However, seeing Turtwig dodge effortlessly, Ash realized that Turtwig could possibly be faster than Cherubi.

-Slowpoke!- Turtwig teased. Staravia grew a tic mark on his head.

"Keep calm, Staravia. Hidden Power now!" Ash instructed. The glowing white spheres hit Turtwig at close range, and Turtwig was now panting.

'This is bad, the kid's pretty good. I suppose he had to be good given how Lance complimented him. I have to take out that Staravia.' Gardenia thought. "Leech Seed now!"

Still battling in close range, Turtwig's Leech seed hit Staravia and vines surrounded his body. A red glow appeared around Staravia as his Energy was drained further.

"Staravia, break free, quick!" Ash instructed, as Ash sensed that he had almost reached his limit.

"Fire a Solar Beam now!" Gardenia instructed. Before Staravia could break free, Turtwig launched the powerful attack and it hit Staravia full force. Unable to take further punishment, Staravia fainted.

"You did very well, Staravia. Rest for now." Ash said, thanking Staravia for fighting hard. "Now let's beat a grass type with a grass type! Let's go, Bulbasaur!"

Gardenia had hearts in her eyes. "Oh wow, a Bulbasaur! Such a cutie! I've always wanted one! Would you consider trading for my Vileplume?" Gardenia asked, holding out a Pokéball. Ash and Bulbasaur were a bit unnerved.

"No way! Bulbasaur is one of my first Pokémon! I'm not trading him for anything!" Ash said indignantly. Gardenia looked put out. But she decided to continue the battle.

"Turtwig, use Razor Leaf!" Gardenia shouted.

"Dodge it and use Vine Whip!" Ash said. Bulbasaur demonstrated its speed by getting out of the way with speed that made Turtwig look slow. Turtwig had a look of disbelief before he saw vines that closed around him. Bulbasaur threw Turtwig into the air.

"Now, show him a real Razor Leaf attack!"

Bulbasaur fired a flurry of leaves with deadly speed and accuracy. Each and every one of them hit Turtwig while he was still in the air. Turtwig landed but looked badly hurt.

"Turtwig, use Energy Ball!" Gardenia shouted.

"Dig, now!" Ash ordered.

"Dig?!" Gardenia asked in disbelief. Her eyes went wide when Bulbasaur disappeared to the ground. Turtwig frantically looked around.

"Calm down, Turtwig!" Gardenia said, worried. Too late, however, as Bulbasaur hit Turtwig after emerging behind it.

"Follow up with Seed Bomb!" Ash said.

A barrage of hard shelled seeds rained down on Turtwig and he fainted, unable to take further punishment.

"Good job, Turtwig. I gotta say Ash, that Bulbasaur is strong. Then again, so is my Roserade!" She said, choosing her next Pokémon.

"Bulbasaur, Vine Whip to immobilize that Roserade!" Ash decided to start things off.

"Dodge it, Roserade!" Gardenia ordered.

Roserade seemed to dance around the vines that came to trap it. As soon as a vine started to encircle Roserade, she jumped out of the way elegantly. Gardenia looked at the sun and grinned.

"Weather Ball!" she ordered.

Roserade formed a yellowish ball in front of her and fired it towards Bulbasaur.

"Use your vines to jump!" Ash instructed.

Bulbasaur extended his vines and pushed the ground, lifting itself up and away from the position where the Weather Ball landed.

"Now, use Rock Smash!"

Bulbasaur's paws seemed to glow as he adjusted the vines to increase the momentum of his fall and direct it towards Roserade. Roserade stumbled back as she was not expecting such an immediate retaliation as the attack hit.

"Use Hyper Beam!" Gardenia commanded. A ball of pure white energy coalesced in front of Roserade and she fired it at Bulbasaur, who had just landed. Bulbasaur was damaged, but shook it off.

"Bulbasaur, use Take Down while Roserade is recovering!" Ash instructed.

Bulbasaur charged forward towards Roserade, who looked exhausted from firing the Hyper Beam to defend itself. The impact unbalanced Roserade and she tripped.

"Razor Leaf!" Ash said, pushing the advantage. Bulbasaur fired another torrent of razor sharp leaves at point blank range, and the force sent Roserade rolling away. Demonstrating an impressive amount of resilience, Roserade got up.

'Boy, that Bulbasaur's strong. Even that grass type attack was able to hurt Roserade. I need to take him out fast.' Gardenia thought.

"Weather Ball again!" Gardenia shouted.

"Dig now!" Ash commanded. As the yellow ball approached Bulbasaur, he disappeared to the ground leaving only a hole behind.

"Roserade, attack with Weather Ball when he emerges!" Gardenia ordered. The ground behind Roserade gave away a slight rumble, causing Roserade to turn around and start forming a Weather Ball. She jumped back and launched it, as soon as Bulbasaur emerged from the ground. Unable to dodge, Bulbasaur literally took the heat of the attack.

"Follow up with Hyper Beam!" Gardenia decided not to take any chances.

"Get out of the way, Bulbasaur!" Ash ordered.

A noticeably less powerful Hyper Beam hit the area where Bulbasaur had emerged. Roserade looked extremely exhausted by the follow up attacks. As the smoke cleared, Bulbasaur was standing away from the explosion, near the hole it had dug initially.

"Smart. Bulbasaur jumped back to the hole and backtracked to avoid the Hyper Beam." Brock commented.

"Take Down again!" Ash ordered. Bulbasaur shot forward without hesitation, ramming into Roserade.

"Now, use Rock Smash to finish it!" Ash instructed. Bulbasaur delivered the Rock Smash while he was still close to Roserade. Roserade finally reached its limit and fainted.

"Roserade is unable to battle. Bulbasaur wins and the victory goes to the challenger!" The referee declared.

"Good job, Roserade! Return!" Gardenia said, recalling her Pokémon.

"Awesome work, Bulbasaur! You really have gotten stronger, haven't you?" Ash asked, recalling his own Pokémon.

"I have to say, Ash. You're one lucky trainer to have such a neat Pokémon. As proof of your Victory here at the Eterna City Gym, I present you with the Forest Badge!" Gardenia announced. Ash happily took the badge.

"Alright! I got- A Forest Badge!" Ash shouted, doing another pose.

-Oh yeah!- Pikachu shouted.

'Is this a customary victory dance?' Lucario asked curiously.

'Well.. Not exactly customary' Lita replied with a sweat drop.

**Post A/N: **And, cut! There's the Tenth Chapter! Don't forget to poll on my Profile. Seventy one have voted already and two of the choices are now way ahead of the others. Make your opinion be heard!

As always, Read and Review!

On second thought, please be sure to review!


	11. A Clash of the Titans

**Chapter 11**

**Summary: **FollowAsh Ketchum, aspiring Pokémon master throughout his journey in Sinnoh, where he learns the true elements contributing to a trainer's success- hard work and dedication. He is more serious towards his goal, and thus takes more than just Pikachu with him. Old and new faces join him on his journey, and he strives to undermine a rising threat that affects the very existence of the Poke verse. Along the way, he reaches within himself and finds out just why he is special.

Not focused on romance, I'm just not good at it XD.

**A/N: **I took the time to reread through all the Reviews I received until now, and these are the decisions of the polls conducted.

You'll remember that I asked your opinions on whether Chimchar should join Ash or not. From the reviews, I got 18 reviews in favor of Chimchar while 4 were against it. Those in favor of Chimchar have also raised some valid and interesting points that I had overlooked. So, Chimchar will be joining Ash in his adventure (Not necessarily in this chapter). I thank everyone for their opinion.

The review based poll regarding Riolu has 10 votes in favor of Riolu while 3 against him. But you will have some more time to poll for/against Riolu, as I only announced it 2 chapters ago.

Some of you have suggested some non-Sinnoh Pokémon to be part of Ash's team. I won't be able to include them because they aren't in Sinnoh and I'm not going to have him go to other regions just to catch a specific Pokémon. Sorry.

As for the poll on legendaries, the poll will close and the results will be announced by the next chapter. One hundred and eleven readers have voted so far. Hurry to submit last minute opinions! For democracy! For the readers, of the readers, and by… me. Lol.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. The characters and other elements of this story are the copyrighted property of Pokémon or its affiliates and licensors. This fan fiction is purely for enjoyment and no desire of profit comes out of it.**

**Chapter 11**

**A Clash of the Titans**

Bulbasaur was a very happy Pokémon.

Why was he so happy, you might ask. The source of his joy stemmed from the fact that his old buddy Squirtle, or more accurately Wartortle, had joined them recently in their adventures. They met Wartortle in Eterna City after the incident with the Adamant Orb. The officer Jenny from Vermilion City had arrived in Sinnoh for a vacation. She had taken Ash's Wartortle along with her as a favor for her Cousin who was in charge of the Squirtle Squad. Apparently, Wartortle was acting depressed after evolving. After learning that Ash was Wartortle's trainer, and seeing that he wanted to go with Ash, she contacted her cousin who decided that travelling with Ash would be best for Wartortle. Bulbasaur still remembered the conversation they had with him.

**Flashback**

"Hey, Wartortle, what's up? You look a bit gloomy." Ash said, crouching near his old friend. Jenny had excused herself, and Ash had called out Bulbasaur. He, Lita, Pikachu and the rest of his Pokémon were trying to cheer Wartortle up. Ash had earlier sent Croconaw and Glalie back to the lab, and Kingler had joined them. 

**-**It's nothing..- Wartortle sighed.

"Sure doesn't look like nothing to me." Ash said with a faint smile.

-It's not like you can understa- Waitaminute! Did you just understand me perfectly?- Wartortle was a little slow to catch on. Kingler too, looked at Ash, not having noticed that before.

"Yup! I can use an energy called Aura. It can help me communicate with you guys." Ash said with a grin. Brock and Dawn looked on with slight jealousy, not being party in the conversation because they couldn't understand what Wartortle had to say.

-Wow! That's ultra cool! I've never heard of humans understanding Pokéspeech before. But if anyone can do it, it's my trainer!- Wartortle was starting to feel a little better. Of course, he was ecastic to see Ash, and his old pals again, but that again reminded him of the source of his despair.

"So, you didn't tell us why you're so sad, Wartortle." Lita prompted.

-How did you know that? It's not like you can understand me too...- Wartortle asked suspiciously.

"I can understand you. I'm a Pokémon too." Lita's grin widened upon seeing the look of disbelief on Wartortle's face.

-No way! What are you, a Ditto? Mew maybe?- Wartortle asked sarcastically.

"Not Mew, but close enough." Lita transformed to her true form. They had left the city a while ago, so it was safe to do so.

-I'm Latias, the Eon dragoness.- She said in Pokéspeech.

Wartortle's jaw was dropped like a ton of bricks. –THE Latias? As in the Legendary Latias?-

-Do you know any Latias that's not a legendary?- Latias asked, amused.

Pokémon too, similar to humans, grow up hearing tales of old imparting wisdom. Wartortle had lived in the wild long enough to hear of the story of the Original One, how he created the world and the Legendary Pokémon that were akin to Gods. He had heard Latias talking in human speech, so he knew this was not an ordinary Latias, even among Legendaries. He was looking at the Guardian of the Lands of Water. True, the legend referred to the ability to use telepathy, but he didn't know that. And he was right anyway.

-Wow…- Wartortle said after a long pause. –What next? Ash is the Wielder of the Original Aura?- He said jokingly. Apparently, he had heard the legend in full.

-Your assumption is correct- Lucario said with a slight grin.

Wartortle's sunglasses slid off his face in shock. –What? Seriously? I was just kidding!-

-Lucario was not- Pikachu said. –Meet the almighty Servant of the Secret Fire! Er.. I mean Wielder of the Original Aura!- Pikachu said, pointing at Ash dramatically.

'Where have I heard the other one before? Oh well, no matter.' Latias thought.

Ash shook his head disbelievingly. "You watched way too much TV while we were home." He said.

Pikachu looked embarrassed. Wartortle smiled. It felt good to be back in his true family again.

-So why were you so upset?- Bulbasaur asked. Wartortle was one of Bulbasaur's best friends, and he didn't think anything would put him in a slump, given his personality.

-It's just that I evolved. I didn't really want to...- Wartortle said.

Bulbasaur understood, having gone through that before. –I'm sure it's not that bad… What happened anyway?-

-We had to put out a really big fire- Wartortle recounted. –Our squad's power was not really enough. Then we had to save some people… I had to evolve to save them.- Wartortle said.

-That's a great thing to do- Kingler reassured. –I don't see what's so bad about it.-

-I wanted to keep Bulbasaur company. He didn't want to evolve and... I thought I'd stay as a Squirtle as well. Then there's the Squirtle Squad. As a Wartortle, I don't really belong there. They still accepted me, but I couldn't fit in very well.- Wartortle said.

Bulbasaur was touched. –You didn't have to do that for me. I really appreciate it. And you'll always fit in with the rest of us!- Bulbasaur said. Everyone agreed.

Wartortle smiled. -Thanks guys! I already feel better!-

**End Flashback**

As it was said earlier, Bulbasaur was happy to have his old friend back. But Wartortle's sacrifice for him had deeply moved him. He felt that he owed it to Wartortle to evolve and keep him company. But his decision to be strong without evolving would go to waste if that happened. He was at a fierce internal conflict. He didn't let it show, however. They were now headed towards a place called Amity Square. Ash said something about the Champion being there.

Ash and his friends arrived at Amity Square, where they overheard that the Sinnoh Champion was battling an unofficial challenger. Ash decided that his Pokémon could benefit from watching the battle real time. Upon arriving, they found that the challenger was none other than Paul. He had chosen his Torterra.

"That guy just lost three Pokémon straight. Three one hits." Ash heard someone saying.

'Three one-hits? Wow… She must be strong' Ash thought, and focused on the battle.

"Torterra, use Giga Drain!" Paul commanded. Green vines extended from Torterra's body and they closed around the Champion's Pokémon, and began to feed on its strength.

"Now, follow up with Frenzy Plant!"

Thick roots emerged from the ground and hit their mark, but Cynthia's Garchomp showed no sign of pain.

'They're too uneven in power' Lucario thought. 'This battle is a no contest for Garchomp'.

"Garchomp, use Brick Break!" Cynthia commanded. Garchomp tore off the roots binding her like they were nothing. She approached the Continent Pokémon and hit Torterra with Brick Break on his head. The strength of the attack was such that Paul's starter was knocked out. Paul looked shocked at the outcome. Torterra rarely lost a match, and never this badly. He knew there was no point in continuing.

"I admit my defeat. Thank you for battling me." Paul said, with a short bow. The crowd was not as kind as Cynthia, and began to demean Paul.

"That kid was way out of his head."

"Yeah. To think he thought he could take on the Champion."

Ash felt the need to stick up for Paul. After all, he had been defeated soundly by Elite Four members and Champions before. He had tag teamed with Paul against Steven and Riley too.

"Hey, there's no need to criticize him. If the Champion didn't have a problem battling him then you shouldn't mock him. Paul's a pretty good trainer." Ash spoke up. Everyone was surprised by this. Many had taken notice of Ash when he got there to see the match. His Aura Guardian uniform and his Lucario had attracted mild interest from the spectators, but they were focusing on the battle.

"He's just a wannabe. If you're sticking up for him, you're no different." Some diehard Cynthia fan said.

Cynthia's attention went from her challenger to the new trainer. Her eyes widened upon seeing someone in full Aura Guardian uniform. They were rare enough that no one in the crowd had recognized him as one. The red coloration of his clothing sparked Cynthia's memory.

"You're Ash Ketchum, correct?" She asked.

"Yes ma'am. But how do you know me?" Ash genuinely had no idea how the Sinnoh Champion recognized him so quickly.

"Lance and Steven have told me about you. It's an honor to meet you" Cynthia said with a slight bow. This lead to massive jaw drops from the crowd. They were all thinking along the lines of 'Who the hell is this guy?'

Cynthia had heard that the trainer named Ash Ketchum was the Wielder of the Original Aura. Being devoted to the study of Sinnoh legends, she knew about the position and what it entailed. She bowed out of respect to the fact that Arceus' Aura resided in the trainer before her. Of course, those watching didn't know that.

"Shouldn't I be the one saying that?" Ash asked, stupefied. He quickly gave a bow of his own.

Paul was interested when Ash showed up. He had an idea that Ash might challenge the Sinnoh Champion. But he was just as stunned as everyone else by the Champion's actions. 'There's obviously more to him than what meets the eye' Paul thought.

Lucario was carefully studying Garchomp while the rest of the group introduced themselves. Being a proficient user of Aura, he was able to estimate Garchomp's power. Garchomp was indeed a very experienced battler. Lucario judged that Garchomp had an experience of about sixteen years. Not counting the time of his hibernation or when he was in suspended animation, Lucario himself had over two decades of experience. This was more than what most Pokémon could claim. But he was not most Pokémon; he was Sir Aaron's apprentice. Now he was Ash's Pokémon, who had the same Aura.

Lucario was sure that if he had taken on Garchomp during the time he was still actively training, he would have won. But centuries on inactivity had made his physical movements less like they were once upon a time. He had evaluated that his speed had decreased. He had retained much of his endurance, however. His attack power also had come down, though not as much as speed. Battling this Pokémon before him would be an ideal opportunity to run a self assessment. This was supposed to be the strongest trained Pokémon in Sinnoh. So he had to see how he would fare against him.

'Ash!' He said using telepathy. The spectators who heard it looked around confusedly. Ash looked at Lucario. "What is it, Lucario?"

Cynthia looked on curiously. She was now sure that the Lucario was Sir Aaron's legendary apprentice. Riley had told them about Ash reviving the Pokémon using Aura. Unbeknownst to Ash, he had caused quite a talk among the G-Men. It was hard not to, considering Lucian and Riley's report of an ominous Prophecy made by Mew herself. Apparently, Ash would play a pivotal role in it. She was fairly sure it referred to Dialga, Palkia, Giratina and possibly Arceus himself. That was enough to make anyone worried. Lance's new recruit, Melinda, had provided some useful insight on the prophecy. Cynthia was amazed at how the girl had deducted most of its meaning so easily. Subsequently, the G-Men had decided to keep an eye on Ash. They had no idea when the said events would happen, but keeping tabs on Ash seemed like a good bet.

'I'd like to battle this Garchomp. I haven't had a good battle in centuries. May I?' Lucario said.

Most of the crowd had now deduced that Lucario was the source of the telepathy. They would have mocked him too, if it wasn't for the simple fact that Lucario had actually used telepathy, and his reference to the fact that he was centuries old.

Ash considered. He turned to Cynthia. "Is that okay with you?" he asked.

"Of course. It would be an honor to fight a Pokémon so prominently portrayed in the history of Aura." Cynthia said, smiling.

Ash's eyes widened. 'So she knows about Lucario? Lance must have done some serious talking.'

'A Pokémon that's made history? Centuries old? What the heck?' A bewildered Paul thought.

'Do you not need to heal yourself first?' Lucario asked Garchomp. He knew that Garchomp had virtually taken no damage at all, however.

-I'll be alright, thanks. I wonder what Cynthia finds so special about you. You look pretty strong. This should be interesting.- Garchomp said.

'Oh, I guarantee that.' Lucario said with a challenging grin, settling in a stance.

"Looks like they're both impatient for the battle" Cynthia said, smiling. Ash stood opposite to her in the makeshift arena, behind Lucario. The spectators were now very interested, as someone the Champion respects is sure to be good. Paul too, was watching intently. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach that this Lucario would be stronger than any of Ash's Pokémon he had seen so far.

"Lucario, Calm Mind" Ash ordered. He had taught Lucario that move since it would fit Lucario's style well. He was never one to rush into a battle, being highly trained in discipline. The move would serve to further enhance his precision and timing.

Lucario closed his eyes and calmed his spirit. He extended his senses and Aura automatically, as he could not leave himself open.

Cynthia smiled upon seeing a very good starting move. She decided to launch the offensive.

"Garchomp, Fire Fang!"

Flames licked Garchomp's sharp teeth as she rushed to inflict some serious damage on her opponent. Her speed was something to behold.

Ash concentrated, mentally trying to sync himself with Lucario. At the very last moment, he issued his command.

"Dodge, then Force Palm."

Cynthia's eye widened fractionally. It was too late to change tactics. Lucario tilted his head and bent backwards as he felt Garchomp's flaming fangs pass over him. Accumulating as much strength as he could, Lucario thrust his palm upwards, striking Garchomp's chest. All this happened within seconds, and Lucario's eyes were still closed. He had stopped battling with eyes open for major battles like this. Aura sense was much more reliable, although slightly more exhausting.

The force of the attack caused Garchomp to change direction and shoot upwards. She righted herself at about ten meters height.

"You synchronized with Lucario extremely well. But Garchomp won't be affected by an attack such as that." Cynthia said. She had underestimated Ash's ability to command Lucario. Such synchronization was only seen in her Championship matches. Cynthia surmised that Ash's Aura training had gone a long way in improving his strengths as a trainer.

"Holy- That Lucario dodged Garchomp's attack with its eyes closed!" Of course, to the normal spectator ignorant of Aura, this would be extremely impressive.

'That's one way to look at it' Lita thought, sweat dropping. 'That Garchomp is fast.'

"Let's try something better then, Aura Sphere!" Ash ordered. Lucario's palm, still extended towards Garchomp, began to glow as Aura began to coalesce at a rapid pace. He fired the pulsating sphere of pure power straight at Garchomp.

'An unavoidable attack. Let's counter it then.' Cynthia thought. "Dragon Rage!"

Garchomp accumulated her draconic energy and fired it at the rapidly approaching Aura sphere. The attacks collided and cancelled, resulting in an explosion. The smoke that resulted spread near Garchomp, as the Aura sphere had travelled a considerable distance before being cancelled.

'Such power' Latias was awestruck by the amount of energy in Garchomp's attack.

'Dragon Rage only managed to _cancel _Aura Sphere. That Lucario is in a whole other level' Paul thought worriedly.

"Shadow Ball!" Ash ordered. Lucario aimed through the smoke and fired the shadowy blob. Blinded by the smoke, Garchomp was forced to take the hit. Not that it did any significant damage. Garchomp looked a little irritated at having let two attacks strike her before she landed one. 'I'll make my attack count.' Garchomp thought determinedly.

"Descend." Cynthia commanded. Garchomp swooped down. Ash looked on warily. Just before Garchomp hit the ground, however, Cynthia uttered a command Ash didn't expect the least.

"Earthquake" Cynthia said with a smile. Lucario would have jumped if she had told Garchomp this from the start.

Garchomp, who was thinking along the same lines as Cynthia, used the momentum to slam into the ground, creating a strong, violent and deadly seismic ripple. Lucario wasn't able to dodge in time, and he got hit full force with the very effective attack.

'Ouch' Lucario thought dryly. 'I need to work on my reaction time. Definitely gotten slow.' He still stood up, however. Lucario noted that he was the first to get on his feet, as even the crowd had tumbled because of the attack's monstrous strength. Ash had jumped to avoid the attack, due to his training. He had more time to react than Lucario, as he was farther away. The Champion too, stood on the opposite end elegantly. Ash wondered how, as he really couldn't imagine her jumping.

"Get off my back, Brock!" Dawn said, struggling.

"I'm trying!" Brock said, who was stuck under a rather heavy man. Lita was innocently standing, the only one in the crowd not affected. Everyone was too distracted by the battle to realize that Lita had started floating slightly as soon as the word earthquake left Cynthia's mouth.

'I must complement you. I actually felt that.' Lucario said honestly.

-Unlike your attacks.- Garchomp said tauntingly. Lucario narrowed his eyes.

"Extremespeed, followed by Close Combat!" Ash said, capitalizing on the fact that Garchomp let its guard down slightly to taunt Lucario.

Faster than many thought possible, Lucario reached Garchomp.

'Hello there' Lucario said, as he thrust his right palm to snap Garchomp's head upward. His left hand immediately chopped Garchomp's left shoulder bone, while his right leg swept Garchomp off her feet. Temporarily imbalanced, Garchomp felt a fierce barrage of punches in her gut before Lucario head butted her. As Garchomp moved back due to the force, Lucario's left leg came up, striking the exact same spot Lucario had first hit. Garchomp would have winced if she had the chance, but Lucario had gotten behind her to deliver a chop that could've split her backbone if she wasn't a battle hardened warrior. This was followed by a palm strike to the back of her neck, and an uppercut from Lucario's left leg. Lucario immediately jumped higher than Garchomp, and hit Garchomp's back again with the fiercest kick he could conjure. Lucario then back flipped and got out of range before any retaliation.

Of course, you had to follow Lucario's movements to actually understand these details, a feat only Ash (due to his training with Riley), Cynthia (due to her vast experience), Pikachu (who was one of Ash's fastest Pokémon) and Lita (due to her Psychic senses and natural speed) were capable of. Everyone else had their eyes as wide as saucers. They just saw a blue blur approaching Garchomp and retreating two seconds later, following which Garchomp had collapsed.

'Did you feel that?' Lucario asked innocently.

Garchomp got up. –Slightly- She didn't want to lie badly. Her body was sore all over. Not an extreme amount of damage, but Garchomp calculated the damage must at least be equal to what she had inflicted on Lucario earlier. 'Note to self- don't let Lucario close.'

'Now that's a fighting type. That makes the Close Combat by Flint's Infernape look slow' Cynthia thought. 'Lucario has decades of experience. Not surprising. I'll have to exploit his weaknesses. Like his reaction time. Lucario had recognized the danger due to Earthquake immediately, but was unable to dodge. His reaction time must have decreased due to inactivity. Lucario would become a fearsome Pokémon once it regains its former strength fully.'

'Lucario's … fast. And his tactics at close combat was amazing. He always attacked points where Garchomp was likely to react with, and moved from one point to another. It's like he didn't have to think at all.' Ash was a bit wide eyed himself. He followed the movements, just barely.

-What just happened?- Bulbasaur asked Wartortle.

-Lucario did some major butt-kicking. Hell yeah!- Wartortle was spot on with his guess.

-Latias, ever feel that we're moving in slow motion?- Pikachu asked.

'I did, right now. And I'm supposed to be the world's fastest Pokémon, a legendary one at that.' Latias said to Pikachu.

"Something happened, right?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah, something." Brock replied. 'Never have I seen something like this before. Lucario is really at another level.'

'How in the world am I supposed to stop something like that in the league?' Paul had a look of pure disbelief.

Cynthia had a stroke of inspiration. She smiled, something Ash and Lucario didn't like at all.

"Dragon Rush" she commanded.

Garchomp grinned menacingly. –Payback time!- A blue glow surrounded her.

'Uh oh…' Lucario thought.

Garchomp shot forward like a bullet from a gun and rammed into Lucario, the coat of energy around her magnifying the attack's magnitude.

"Now, Hyper Beam!" Cynthia ordered.

"Lucario, get out of there right now!" Ash ordered in panic. Lucario was dangerously close to Garchomp.

Unfortunately for Lucario, he was still flying along with Garchomp due to the impact of Dragon Rush. Garchomp formed a powerful orb of energy between her maws and launched it point blank. The resulting explosion sent Lucario hurling into a nearby tree while Garchomp flew up.

The smoke cleared, revealing a crater where Lucario had landed. Cynthia knew it was far from over, however.

"Follow up with Earthquake!" Cynthia commanded. Garchomp immediately slammed into the ground again, disturbing it for the second time. Lucario didn't have enough time to right himself from the Hyper Beam, and he was yet again hit by the very effective attack. Garchomp had sufficient time to recover from the Hyper Beam while the smoke cleared.

Everyone was staring at the mass destruction left by Cynthia's Garchomp. A few thought it was overkill, but Cynthia and Ash knew better. As Lucario got up after the Earthquake attack, every one of the spectators was at a loss for words.

Lucario was hurt. Badly. The Dragon Rush, Hyper Beam and Earthquake attacks, launched in succession, did more damage than they would have if used at one at a time. But he still had the will to fight on.

Now it was Ash who suddenly had a stroke of genius. "Payback!" Ash yelled.

Cynthia's eye widened. "Garchomp, use-"

Her command was cut off as Lucario, surrounded in a dark aura, hit Garchomp with vengeance. This time, Garchomp was the one sent crashing. Cynthia hadn't considered the possibility of Lucario knowing Payback when she ordered Garchomp to use three attacks in succession.

'Lucario, use Rest now!' Ash commanded using telepathy. As Lucario's eyes were still closed, the fact that Lucario was using Rest would remain unnoticed by everyone.

Garchomp got up from the Payback attack. She was mildly exhausted. But she had faced worse in the championship matches.

'The smug bastard still hasn't opened his eyes. It's like he's mocking me. At least it'll be over in a few more attacks.' Garchomp thought determinedly. She knew Lucario's health was down to low.

"Garchomp, Fire Blast!" Cynthia ordered.

'This is bad!' Ash thought. 'Lucario, please hear me, Sleep Talk!'

To an outside viewer, Lucario didn't show any reactions. However, as the raging Inferno neared Lucario, he jumped high and let the attack pass under him.

Cynthia narrowed her eyes. 'I had calculated that Lucario would react slower than that. Unless… he used detect! So Ash must be commanding him telepathically. But why change tactics in the middle of the battle?'

Ash let out a sigh of relief. That was incredibly lucky. But now, he had to attack or Cynthia would be suspicious. He just hoped Sleep Talk wouldn't fail him now.

'Sleep Talk again!' Ash commanded.

Lucario jumped again. However, this time, he impacted the ground forcefully and created a powerful Seismic wave.

"They should declare this as a Fault Zone" Brock commented.

This amplified Cynthia's beliefs that something was very wrong about the situation. Earthquake didn't exactly suit Lucario's or Ash's style until now.

"Garchomp, to the air and use Giga Impact!" Cynthia ordered.

Purple Energy surrounded Garchomp and she barreled towards Lucario, hitting him before Ash could issue a command. Lucario was sent hurling to a rock nearby and crashed into it. To Cynthia's utter bewilderment, however, Lucario began to glow white. As the healing glow ceased, Lucario opened his eyes and… looked good as new?

Cynthia had an epiphany. "Rest" she whispered. "You ordered Lucario to use Rest right after that Payback, didn't you?" Cynthia asked.

"Yup!" Ash grinned. "And the Sleep Talk really came in handy. I'm incredibly lucky."

"A brilliant plan indeed. I couldn't tell because Lucario was fighting with his eyes closed from the start. So that's why you resorted to commanding Lucario by telepathy. You didn't want me to find out about Rest by calling a Sleep Talk attack." Cynthia was very much impressed by the strategy. However, Garchomp was visibly annoyed. 'So he gets back his full health while I get the Payback. Perfect.' She grumbled mentally. 'No more Miss. Nice Dragoness' she decided.

"Garchomp, use Return!" Cynthia commanded. She needed Garchomp to deal with a lot of damage fast.

Ash's and Lucario's eyes widened. 'Not good' Ash thought. A second later, he grinned. "Counter!" He yelled triumphantly.

Cynthia was prepared, however. "Switch to Fire Blast!"

Abruptly, the white glow surrounding Garchomp indicating Return faded, and Garchomp immediately let loose a torrent of flames.

'Oh, crap.' "Lucario, get out of… there…" It was too late, as the counter was still in effect. Lucario got hit full force and a charred Lucario stood in his place when the attack passed.

-Hot enough for you?- Garchomp taunted.

Lucario exhaled smoke which came out as a circular ring. 'Yeah, it was starting to get a bit chilly.'

"Extremespeed followed by Metal Claw!" Ash commanded.

"Retaliate with Dragon Claw!" Cynthia said immediately.

Lucario zeroed in on the distance to Garchomp as his claw glowed metallic white. Garchomp's claw glowed blue as Dragon Claw intercepted Metal Claw.

"Brick Break!" Cynthia ordered.

Ash blinked. "How..? Lucario, the free arm!" He warned. Too late, however, and Garchomp's free arm came crashing down on Lucario. Lucario hit the floor forcefully.

"Follow up with Rock Smash!" Cynthia pressed the advantage. Garchomp used her other arm again and Rock Smash scooped up Lucario and sent him flying.

'Definitely need to work on reaction time' Lucario thought mournfully.

'Lucario's nearly reached his limit' Ash realized. 'Time for some serious attacks.'

"Lucario, use Dig!" Ash ordered. Lucario burrowed down the Earth.

"Garchomp, into the air!" Cynthia ordered. As soon as Garchomp took off, Lucario emerged, shooting out of the ground.

"Dragon Pulse!" Ash commanded. Green energy filled Lucario's mouth as he fired a powerful Dragon Pulse, predicting Garchomp's future location based on the speed of Garchomp's ascent and his attack speed.

"Retaliate with Hyper Beam!" Cynthia commanded. Garchomp's Hyper Beam had more power than Dragon Pulse, as it tore through Lucario's attack to hit him.

"Use Extremespeed to dodge. Then launch your own Hyper Beam!" Ash commanded. Lucario disappeared from Hyper Beam's vicinity and reappeared farther away, launching an abrupt Hyper Beam at the immobilized Garchomp. The attack created another explosion covering the field.

'He seems to be going for broke. Lucario must be tired. It's time to end this.' Cynthia thought.

"Draco Meteor!" Cynthia commanded.

'That doesn't sound good. I'll go with the best bet.' Ash thought. "Detect!"

Garchomp stored all the essence of her draconic energy and released it skyward. There, it exploded into countless meteorites covered with energy, targeting the field in whole. Lucario hadn't recovered sufficiently from the Hyper Beam, and couldn't use his senses to aid him. A meteor hit him, then another, leaving him vulnerable to more. Soon, the field was littered with fallen meteorites, each creating a crater, the testament of the attack's power. The dust cloud created soon dissipated revealing the true extent of damage to the area. Lucario was lying face down in the dirt, making the outcome clear. The Champion was victorious.

"You battled valiantly, Lucario. But you need to get to the Pokémon centre now." Ash said, recalling his fallen friend.

-Poor Lucario- Bulbasaur said to Wartortle.

-And he fought so hard, too- Wartortle too, looked sad.

'I think Lucario didn't expect to win. It looked more like he was measuring his skills.' Latias said telepathically. She could sense that it was what Lucario wanted.

-Well, looks like Charizard isn't Ash's strongest anymore. Boy, I can't wait to see the look on his face- Pikachu said.

-Doesn't that apply to you too?- Kingler asked Pikachu.

-I don't have an ego with the size of a hot air balloon- Pikachu replied.

Staravia and Turtwig were incapable of vocal reactions. This was the first time they had seen such a large scale battle. They had a lot of catching up to do.

"Excellent battle, Ash. You managed to bring down Garchomp to half its health." Cynthia said, smiling. Ash didn't know if he should feel flattered or horrified. If this is what it took to even bring Garchomp to half health, he couldn't imagine what sort of a battle it would be to really bring down Garchomp. 'I guess that's why she's the Champion' Ash thought. "Thank you, Cynthia. But the credit goes to Lucario"

"You did an excellent job commanding him as well. If I didn't know better, I'd say you two had years of experience working together." Cynthia said. Any further conversation was cut short by a huge applause. Turning around, they saw that quite a large crowd had gathered. They were too focused in the battle to notice it. Cynthia sweat dropped upon seeing that everyone had been watching from much farther away than they were when the battle began. The consecutive earthquakes must have scared them off. Ash could spot a few TV cameras.

'Great. When did they get here?' Ash thought. He turned to the Champion. "Thank you for the battle. I need to go to the Pokémon centre."

"I'll come with you. Garchomp needs some rest as well." She said, recalling her Pokémon. On their way back, Ash called out to Paul.

"Hey Paul, aren't you coming to the Pokémon centre?" he asked.

"I suppose." Paul said. He wanted to do something there anyway.

As Ash rejoined his friends and walked back to the Pokémon centre, everyone had different things to think about.

'I hate to admit it, but I won't be capable of battling like that as a Bulbasaur. I can go on working on my speed, but that too is reaching the limit. My current form cannot handle the sheer amount of power that Lucario, Charizard and Ash's other strong Pokémon are capable of. I think it's time that I evolved. Ash is going to need stronger Pokémon and I can't lag behind.' Bulbasaur thought.

'Garchomp is as powerful as she is fast. My species is said to have speed is supposed to be unsurpassed. I have a lot of work to do in terms of speed. Not to mention learn a few more Dragon type attacks. What's the point in being a Dragon type without some strong attacks like Draco Meteor?' Latias thought.

'I'll have to give more importance to my endurance. Elite four and Championship level battles would need it, and at the rate Ash is going, we'll be there soon.' Pikachu surmised.

'This is a Champion level battle? Even as a coordinator, I still need lots of work. Ash and Cynthia were totally in sync with their Pokémon.' Dawn thought.

'Ash has really grown. He was able to hold his ground against a Champion for about half an hour. Even with Lucario, that shows his growth as a trainer. Where did the trainer who took on an Onix with a Pikachu go?' Brock wondered.

'I still have a long way to go. If it wasn't for Lucario's experience and dumb luck in Sleep Talk, the battle would have been over long ago. I need to train all of my other Pokémon to Lucario's level. I'm sure Lucario will help me with that. Lucario himself need to work on his reaction time.' Ash was already looking for ways to improve.

'I haven't had such an intense match outside the Title matches. I have a feeling I'll be facing Ash in a Championship battle in the near future.' Cynthia thought.

Paul was reflecting on what Ash had told him on his training method. 'Was he correct? He has the same experience as me, but he's in a level beyond me at the moment. But cuddling his Pokémon didn't do Reggie any good'. He was having the same conflict for some time now.

They broke from their musings when they reached the Pokémon centre. There, they learned that Nurse Joy had to perform an emergency surgery.

"Looks like we'll have to treat the Pokémon ourselves." Cynthia said. She took a First Aid kit from the infirmary Nurse Joy had given them access to. She gave some medicine to Paul and Ash. Paul took it reluctantly, which Cynthia noted. Brock and Dawn volunteered to help out as well, after Brock's usual drama which surprisingly didn't end with Croagunk's Poison Jab.

Ash went near Lucario to heal him. However, Lita stopped him.

"I can do it" she volunteered. As everyone watched curiously, Lita approached Lucario and put her hand at Lucario's head. A white glow formed under her arm, and the pulse of light travelled throughout Lucario's body. Lucario opened his eyes and got up.

'Thank you' he said to Lita. He deduced that it must have been Lita who healed him, because he felt the Heal Pulse travelling throughout his body even while unconscious. Everyone except Ash and friends were watching with wide eyes.

"How did you do that?" Paul asked, voicing his question.

'I forgot about them' Lita almost panicked. 'I'll give them the half truth.'

"I'm a Psychic." She replied simply. She proceeded towards Garchomp and repeated the procedure.

'That distinctly looked like Heal Pulse. But Pokémon can't talk, and I have no idea how she could look like a human. I suppose Psychics have a similar method.' Cynthia thought.

Garchomp could feel a very powerful draconic energy inside Lita. –Who are you really?- she asked. No human would possess such energy.

Lita supposed there was no harm in telling Garchomp. Cynthia couldn't understand Pokéspeech like Ash, after all.

'I am known as Latias' her telepathic voice echoed in Garchomp's head. Her eyes bulged to comic proportions as she stared at Lita. –The Legendary eon dragoness?- she asked weakly.

'That's me!' Latias' voice again echoed in her mind.

Cynthia looked on curiously. She had never seen such an expression on Garchomp's face before. She was staring at Lita in awe and wonder. That was extremely uncharacteristic. She wished she could understand what Garchomp said. She did understand Garchomp asked a question. Lita must have replied telepathically, and she was very curious as to what reply would make Garchomp lose her composure like that. She doubted Ash would give an honest answer. He looked on the verge of a panic attack.

Soon, all the Pokémon were healed thanks to Lita. Bulbasaur soon drew his trainer's attention.

"What is it, Bulbasaur?" he asked.

-After watching the last battle, I've decided that I need to evolve. Is that okay with you, Ash?- Bulbasaur asked.

Ash was shocked. "Evolve? But I thought you didn't want to."

-I've realized that there's really no point in continuing as a Bulbasaur. I have many limitations in this form. Besides,- he turned to the shocked Wartortle and smiled –I owe you one.-

-There's no need to evolve just because of me!- Wartortle protested.

-I think it would be best. I've reached my limit on what I can learn as a Bulbasaur.- Bulbasaur said.

Pikachu inclined his head. –It's always you choice.- he said.

"Are you sure, Bulbasaur? I won't force you to evolve in any way, even if you've reached your limit." Ash said.

-Thank you, Ash. But I think I need to do this. Charizard's been growing a big head lately.- he said. This made everyone who understood smile. Cynthia had a faint idea of what was going on, as she deduced from Ash's speech.

"Then go for it." Ash said, smiling.

To the astonishment of many, Bulbasaur began to glow white. The bulb on his back opened up and he changed his size. As the glow faded, Ivysaur stood in his place. Brock had deduced Bulbasaur's decision, but Dawn was awestruck. She scanned her Pokédex to identify the new Pokémon.

"Bulbasaur must be really experienced to have evolved when you told him to." Cynthia said.

"Yeah. Bulbasaur is one of my first Pokémon. He didn't want to evolve before. Wartortle here was also of the same mind. But he had to evolve to get out of a dangerous situation. Bulbasaur decided there's no point in continuing as a Bulbasaur as well, so he evolved. Ash explained. The Pokémon were already congratulating Ivysaur. Turtwig looked starstruck.

'He can understand Pokémon perfectly.' Paul realized. "Why didn't you evolve him sooner?" he asked.

"Because he didn't want to." Ash replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Paul opened his mouth to say something but closed it. Ash was so much like Reggie. What did he expect?

"Your Pokémon fought very well. Chimchar has a lot of fighting spirit." Cynthia told Paul, placing a hand on top of Chimchar. Chimchar seemed to enjoy the affection.

"He hardly did any damage. And he got defeated with one hit." Said Paul with a frown.

Lucario and the other Pokémon, surprisingly even Garchomp, glared at Paul. That was no way to treat Pokémon after fighting for him.

"You have no right to criticize your Pokémon after they worked so hard for you. Strength isn't something that comes overnight." Ash said hotly.

"Coddling Pokémon only spoils them. If Pokémon aren't strong, there's no point in training them. Isn't the reason you caught Lucario that he is strong?" Paul questioned.

"It's the trainer's duty to bring forth the strength in a Pokémon. And for your information, Lucario decided to come with me. Bonds between the Pokémon and trainer are very important." Ash said, unconsciously quoting Professor Oak.

'Agreed. I wasn't born strong. It was only through two decades of constant training that I reached this level.' Lucario supplied.

Paul still didn't look too convinced.

"I'd like to show you something if you'd come with me." Cynthia said. Everyone followed her back to the place where they first battled.

Cynthia led them to a stone tablet. "I too, once believed that strength was everything. But the words written in this tablet opened my eyes. I began to look at everything in a new perspective. I'll read it for you."

"When every life meets another life, something will be born"

"What does that mean?" Ash voiced the question in everyone's mind.

'It is an ancient saying.' Surprisingly, it was Lucario that answered. 'I heard it from my past mentor. It is one of the core teachings of Aura. Ash, as a Guardian, you must know that Aura is very strongly affected by emotions, correct?'

"Yeah, Riley told me about that. He said that Aura differs with personality as well." Ash said.

'That is correct. In this world, every living being is connected by Aura. It's something we all have in common. When a life meets another, their interaction always produces something. It might be friendship, relationship, connections, or different feelings. Each interaction leaves something that will influence our soul. True growth and knowledge only comes through such interactions. That's what the words mean.' Lucario said.

Cynthia smiled. "Precisely. The bonds we share with Pokémon should not be seen trivially. You would do well to remember that" Cynthia said.

-Dude, Lucario knows his stuff.- Wartortle said. Ivysaur smacked him. –Be quiet, moron.-

"Thank you. I'll be on my way now." Paul said with a slight bow. The day certainly left the purple haired trainer with a lot to think about.

"I hope he changes his mind." Ash said, looking at Paul's retreating form.

"Let's leave him to decide." Cynthia said, also watching the said trainer leave. She turned to Ash. "I have to head to my hometown. If you ever come by Celestic town, please pay us a visit. My grandmother had devoted her entire life studying Sinnoh legends. She would like to meet you, someone directly referred to in the legend."

"Heh. Heh. Guess I'm a Legendary too now, huh?" Ash asked. Lita abruptly smacked him on the head. "Spare me. That's our job." She said.

'What in the world did she mean by that?' Cynthia thought. Not for the first time that day, she wished she could understand Garchomp. She decided to ask Riley the next time they meet.

Unknown to Ash and his friends, parts of his battle with Cynthia was televised as a special telecast, like the Championship matches. It wasn't everyday you find a trainer able to hold his ground against a Champion. Professor Oak choked his food in Kanto while seeing the telecast. Gary Oak's jaw hit the ground in a Sinnoh research facility. Max Maple was at a loss of words.

Elsewhere in Sinnoh, a silver haired woman wore a cruel smirk. "Fascinating. That Lucario will fetch a handsome price."

Fortunately or unfortunately, a certain cape wearing trainer was unaware of these details. He liked his privacy and only ventured to towns for Gym Battles.

"Keep at it, Darkrai. We'll sweep through the League with just your power." He said confidently. Oh, how little he knew.

Paul found himself staring at the computer screen for the second time in the past two months. Lucario had intrigued him greatly, and he searched over the internet for famous Lucario in history, based on what he had gathered from Lucario. An article in the Kanto History Achieve caught his attention.

"One of the greatest figures in Kanto's history is Sir Aaron, an Aura Guardian whose powers in manipulating Aura was unparalleled. A noble Knight of Cameran Palace in the Kingdom of Rota, he sacrificed his life to save the nation from falling into war. Sir Aaron taught everything he knew to his apprentice, a Lucario whose strength was legendary at his time. Lucario's fate, however, is largely unknown. It is assumed that he perished in the Great War. There was a recent unconfirmed sighting of Lucario at Cameran Palace, but historians have disregarded this on the basis that a Lucario's lifespan is not more than fifty years at best."

Below the article, an old painting of a man dressed in blue was seen. The man himself had an uncanny resemblance to Ash, especially since Ash had chosen to change his dress for some strange reason. The Lucario next to him, however, made Paul's mind go blank for second. Lucario had a distinct scar on his shoulder, a very familiar to one. One he had just seen hours ago.

'Why me?' Paul whimpered slightly. 'Pidgeot, Charizard, a Lucario from the past with Legendary strength, what next? Legendaries?'

Lita sneezed. 'Huh, funny. I wonder who thought about me?'

Miles away in a certain island, the darkness rippled slightly. 'How uncommon. I never catch a cold. Is this an omen?'

In another part of Sinnoh, a being made a strange noise. 'What's this? I'm supposed to be the virus. I don't catch a cold!'

**Post A/N:**

And done. Before you flame me, Lucario isn't invincible. Yes, he's Ash's strongest right now, but he wasn't able to defeat Garchomp, and is an elite four level Pokémon at best. Once, he used to have power unparalleled among non legendary Pokémon, but centuries have passed and his skills have gotten rusty. While Ash's other Pokémon lacks experience, Lucario has it in plenty. He just needs to get his system down and functional again. This, doubtlessly, will take some time.

Also, you can make me change the last two lines of the chapter by voting further, but you'll have a lot of catching up to do. Those in favor should still vote. You'll never know when you'll be overtaken. XD

I've made some changes to the first two chapters to make them more enjoyable, according to your reviews. There's really no need to check it out, as there is no change in the plotline. But I thought they were a bit too rushed and added a few lines here and there.

Edit: Corrected Cynthia's Garchomp's gender to female. Sorry, I didn't know that before.

Please review! If 75 of you can vote within first two days of announcing the poll, surely you can help me by reviewing too? Even if it is a single sentence, a single word, it will inspire me to write more and make updates faster. **Please give me your thoughts on the battle.**

Cheers!


	12. Might of a rodent

**Chapter 12**

**Summary: **FollowAsh Ketchum, aspiring Pokémon master throughout his journey in Sinnoh, where he learns the true elements contributing to a trainer's success- hard work and dedication. He is more serious towards his goal, and thus takes more than just Pikachu with him. Old and new faces join him on his journey, and he strives to undermine a rising threat that affects the very existence of the Poke verse. Along the way, he reaches within himself and finds out just why he is special.

Not focused on romance, I'm just not good at it XD.

**A/N: **I thank you for your support for the last chapter. I received 40+ reviews after its publication, and that really motivated me. I have to address some issues before starting the story, so apologies for the long Author's note.

The poll on legendaries is now closed. The results are:

Total number of votes: 138

No. of votes **against** Ash having more Legendaries: 11

Legendary Pokémon joining Ash (Up to two choices allowed per user):

**Darkrai** with **72 votes**. It is noted that Darkrai was the first Pokémon to gain the lead and maintained it throughout the poll.

**Deoxys** with **50 votes**.

Votes received for other Pokémon:

Shaymin: 42

Cresselia: 41

Regigigas: 25

Registeel: 9

Regice: 5

Regirock: 1

The Legendary Pokémon joining Ash somewhere along his journey will be **Darkrai** and **Deoxys**. This is final and was chosen by majority votes, so you cannot complain against these choices. The readers have spoken. If you don't believe me, the results are available in my profile.

Also, two reviewers have pointed out that Cynthia's Garchomp is female. I really am sorry for that embarrassing mistake. I've changed it accordingly.

Reply to Aryan, a guest reviewer:

In this fanfic, I'm not giving importance to the game elements like holding items. Sure, the anime features Lustrous and Adamant orbs, but they have some sort of historical background. I don't think it would be reasonable for Pokémon to hold items while battling. Besides, that's not the proper way to battle. You battle to test your skills, not what items you could afford. Held items seem unrealistic to me.

About Ash's costume, since I had two reviewers opposing it, I've decided to remove the cape. But Lance does roam about with a cape. I have also mentioned that Ash's dress is **not **medieval. It's just a modern red colored version of Riley's cloths.

Regarding your opinion on legendaries, Mewtwo is too strong to be Ash's Pokémon. The battles would become boringly one sided. And I've never said that Tobias has a full team of Legendaries. He will not, if I have something to say about it. Latias will eventually get strong, no Pokémon is born strong. Not in my interpretation of the Pokeworld anyway. Ash's other legendaries have been decided by poll.

I believe the Champions should be the strongest trainers in the region until defeated. I am not following game mechanics and I've only portrayed the Champions as strong as the anime shows them to be. Sir Aaron's Lucario was once stronger than Garchomp, but centuries of inactivity have made him rusty.

Arceus' plates are a game item, not collectable in anime. The movie shows Arceus having all the plates but the ones in the Jewel of Life. Once again, I'm only following anime, not the game.

I haven't thrown Infernape away like you said, I said that Infernape would be one of Ash's Pokémon based on the poll result. We have our differences in opinion regarding Charizard and his strength, and everyone have the freedom the express their views. Ash's dark and ghost type problems will be over soon and Latias is a Psychic type. I do have plans for a Metagross though. Hydregion is a Pokémon from Unova, a Pokémon I'm not considering in this story. I do have something in mind for your last suggestion though.

I thank everyone for their reviews. I hope I'll get as many in this chapter too XD.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. The characters and other elements of this story are the copyrighted property of Pokémon or its affiliates and licensors. This fan fiction is purely for enjoyment and no desire of profit comes out of it.**

**Chapter 12**

**Might of a rodent**

Ash had never fully appreciated the endurance of his Pokémon until he began training in the ways of Aura. While Riley's training was an eye opener for him in the said matter, his Aura training under Lucario served as a constant reminder. Yes, Ash was still getting beaten up. His danger reflexes had improved considerably, and he could now manifest Aura to form miniature orbs of Aura and keep it there. Lucario had told him that his goal would be to expand the orb into a bubble that would surround him and act as a shield for attacks. He trained everyday they were on the road, and while he was training, he kept his other Pokémon busy by assigning them to various training regimen. He was surprised to learn that Kingler had learned Metal Claw, Toxic, Dig and Rock Slide during the time in Professor Oak's laboratory. Ash had apologized to Kingler for neglecting him for so long, but Kingler was just eager to battle for him again. Ash instructed Kingler to learn Blizzard from Wartortle. Wartortle himself had picked up the said move during his time away, along with Focus Punch, Dig and Endure.

Today, he had Turtwig work on his battle reflexes and attack power by training with Ivysaur. Latias and Pikachu were having intense training sessions. Latias needed more combat experience and Pikachu needed to improve his endurance. Pikachu was also struggling to remain as Ash's fastest Pokémon, because Latias looked really motivated to increase her speed. Pikachu knew it was only a matter of time before his maximum speed would become Latias' normal speed. Staravia was also working with them, occasionally dodging a stray thunderbolt and trying to keep up with the other two. Lucario had requested all of Ash's Pokémon to attack him at times he would least expect, to increase his reaction time. Pikachu had zapped him as soon as the words left his mouth. Soon, Lucario had to keep his guard up at all times to prevent being hit. After the initial surprise, he was doing a good job, but the rest of Ash's Pokémon were getting better at accuracy. Dawn was training for her next contest as well.

It was nearly midday when their training was interrupted by two Pokémon- A Glameow and a Misdreavus.

-Please help! Zoey sprained her ankle and she can't move!- Glameow looked worried. How could she convey her message to humans?

"You're Zoey's Glameow?" Ash asked, surprised. "Lead the way, we'll be glad to help!"

Glameow stood there, open mouthed, as Ash translated her message perfectly to the group. –Let's not look a gift horse in the mouth- said Misdreavus. –We need to get them to Zoey.-

Ash and his friends soon arrived at the camp were Zoey was training. Zoey looked both exasperated and relieved because of her Pokémon's actions.

"Sorry to bother you. I sprained my ankle while training and those two were overreacting." Zoey said.

"It's no trouble at all, we're glad to help." Ash replied, as Brock treated the ankle.

"She'll need to go to the Pokémon centre to make a full recovery." Brock said, eyeing Lita (She transformed to human when they followed Zoey's Pokémon, much to their surprise). Lita turned to Ash, who nodded. Lita didn't need to reveal her identity to heal Zoey, after all. She could go with the 'I am Psychic' excuse. If the Sinnoh Champion believed it, others wouldn't need much convincing.

Lita moved towards Zoey. "I can help. I know how to heal this." Lita said.

"Really? How?" Zoey asked skeptically.

Lita placed her hand at Zoey's ankle and used Heal Pulse. This particular move was very handy now, as Ash's physical training needed it.

"How…?" Zoey asked with awe, getting on her feet.

"I'm a Psychic." Lita said simply. Zoey nodded in undrestanding. Psychics had all sorts of strange powers.

Misdreavus and Glameow looked at each other. They saw Lita as a Latias, and Misdreavus had sensed that she was a Psychic type. But they couldn't tell Zoey that. They doubted Ash would help them translate.

"I needed to train Shellos. She's a recent catch of mine." Zoey said, showing them a pink slug-like Pokémon. Shellos immediately hid behind Zoey.

"As you can see, she's a bit shy." Zoey explained.

Ash bent down in one knee. "Hey Shellos, My name's Ash. And this is Pikachu." He said, pointing to his best friend. He tried to send out an Aura that would encourage trust. Lucario had taught him how to express his emotions through Aura. He could sense that Shellos was scared and wanted to reassure her. His tactic worked, as Shellos came out from hiding and moved towards Ash.

"Wow! That was fast!" Zoey said. She was extremely impressed. Even she needed half an hour to convince Shellos that she meant no harm, after capturing her.

-I'm Shellos- Shellos said needlessly. –You won't hurt me?-

"No I won't. Why would I do that?" Ash asked.

-My mom always said to be careful near humans.- Shellos said. –But I feel I can trust you, and Zoey too.-

"Well, Shellos, you should follow your instincts. You can't always remain afraid. If someone hurts you, fight back!" Ash said. Shellos looked a little bit more confident.

"Is he actually talking to Pokémon?" Zoey asked.

'Yes he is. Didn't you think we Pokémon were capable of intelligent conversation?' Lucario asked.

"It's not that, it's the fact that- Holy Mew! Did he just talk!?" Zoey asked, pointing to Lucario.

'Yes he did' Lucario said, keeping a straight face. 'Telepathy, actually.' He added. He just loved scaring people like that.

"Wow. Then again, you did fight extremely well with the Champion's Garchomp. Awesome battle by the way."

'How did you know about that?' Lucario asked.

"I saw it on TV" Zoey explained.

'What's a teevee? Some king of Eevee?' Lucario asked. Zoey collapsed in a fit of laughter, joined by Ash, his friends and most of the Pokémon.

'Was it something I said?' Lucario asked. He tried not to look embarrassed.

"Lucario, how should I put it? TV is something that shows what is happening at one place to a whole lot of other places." Ash explained.

"How?" Lucario asked.

Ash opened his mouth to explain, but quickly remembered he didn't know how it worked fully. He had started his journey at ten, after all. "You wouldn't understand. It involves a lot of technology." Ash said, trying to sound knowledgeable. Lucario saw right through it. He decided to keep quiet, as he didn't want to embarrass his trainer. Pikachu hid a snicker.

"Maybe Buizel should socialize with some of the Pokémon as well." Dawn said to herself, calling out the water otter. Buizel came out and folded his arms, trying to look superior. His gaze landed on Shellos, and began to stare at her. Shellos began to get scared.

-Hey! Don't be mean! You're scaring her!- Piplup said.

-What? I didn't do anything!- Buizel said innocently.

-You're glaring at her!- Piplup said hotly.

-You're glaring at me. Do you see me hiding behind my trainer?- Buizel asked smugly.

-She's just a baby Pokémon. Go easy on her!- Piplup said defensively.

"Alright, alright, break it up you two." Dawn said with a sigh. Piplup and Buizel tended to get into arguments, and Dawn had initially seen it as competition between water types. But this was getting too far.

-He started it!- they said in unison.

"At least they agree on something." Ash commented, sweat dropping.

"You'll have to work on that, Dawn. You see, the upcoming Hearthome contest involves double performances in the appeals round." Zoey said.

"Double performances?" Dawn asked quizzically.

"You have to use two Pokémon instead of one and combine their attacks to create the appeal." Zoey explained. She then showed Dawn a video of a double performance and had Shellos and Glameow coordinate their attacks to produce a beautiful fireworks display.

"So you see Dawn, you have to get your Pokémon to work together. If not, they won't be able to create effective combinations." Zoey concluded.

After several disastrous attempts on combinations, Ash finally decided that Dawn could use some help.

"Dawn, why don't you have two of your Pokémon coordinate your attacks against mine? It's called a double battle. It will help your teamwork." Ash said.

"Are you kidding? I won't even land a hit." Dawn said. Buizel looked mildly insulted.

"I won't command them. You can practice with Ivysaur and Wartortle." Ash said. Said Pokémon eagerly stepped to the field. Most of Dawn's Pokémon lost their confidence after seeing their eagerness. Well, most. Except Buizel.

"Alright. Buneary, Buizel, take the stage!" Dawn ordered. Buneary hopped up to the makeshift battlefield while Buizel dashed and took a fighting stance.

"Well, someone's eager to fight." Zoey commented. She was curious to see what Ash's Pokémon were capable of. She had seen the Lucario hold ground against the Champion's Pokémon. She had no idea Ash was that strong. Now she wanted to see how good his other Pokémon were.

"Buneary, use Quick Attack! Buizel, use Sonic Boom!" Dawn commanded. Buneary rushed towards her opponents, who didn't look too impressed with the speed. Buizel's Sonic Boom arched towards them faster than Buneary. Ivysaur positioned himself behind Wartortle, who used Withdraw. The Sonic Boom looked ineffective, and Buneary rubbed her head in pain after hitting Wartortle's shell full force. Numerous vines emerged from behind Wartortle, and bound Buneary in her position. Wartortle charged up a Focus Punch, which hit Buneary in the face. Abruptly, Ivysaur's vines loosened, and Buneary shot backward in the momentum, toward Buizel. Buizel expertly dodged, but looked frustrated because of Sonic Boom's apparent ineffectiveness.

-You'll have to do better than that.- Wartortle taunted. Ivysaur grinned.

"Buizel, Water gun! Buneary, Thunder Bolt!" Dawn ordered. The last attack called caused Zoey to widen her eyes. That was a nice surprise move to keep in reserve, but Dawn had to be careful not to shock Buizel in the process of merging the water and electric type moves.

-Dude, is that even a Thunderbolt? Looks more like Spark compared to Pikachu.- Wartortle was utterly unconcerned about the move he had a disadvantage against.

-Be nice!- Ivysaur chided. He didn't want to hurt Buneary's feelings. She was relatively new to this after all. He abruptly let loose a torrent of Razor Sharp leaves, now taking a position in front of Wartortle. The combined might of Thunderbolt and Water Gun failed against the sheer power of the attack Ivysaur conjured. Not only did the Razor Leaf break their combined attack, but it headed towards Buizel and Buneary who hadn't moved from their position. Before Dawn could command them to move, the attack collided knocking them sideways. Both Buizel and Buneary were injured by the attack, Buneary more so than Buizel. The Thunderbolt actually had backfired on Buizel, and he was paralyzed and left unable to dodge Ivysaur's Razor Leaf.

"Wow. They're strong." Zoey commented; sweat dropping at the ridiculous difference in power.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea." Ash commented. Both of his Kanto buddies have grown leaps and bounds due to the evolution.

"Ya think so?" Lita asked sarcastically.

"CHU!"

"Chu?" Ash muttered, and sweat dropped as Lucario avoided another one of Pikachu's surprise attacks. Ash could see that Lucario had barely avoided getting hit by that one.

"You know what? I'm not even going to ask what that was about." Zoey told Brock.

"Very Wise." Brock nodded.

"Aw Geez! I knew this was a bad idea! Buizel, Aqua Jet. Buneary, Ice Beam!" Dawn ordered. Thankfully, Buizel snapped out of paralysis and formed a jet of water around him and charged towards the Kanto duo. Buneary formed an Ice Beam and hit Buizel's Aqua jet. While the combination was meant to increase the attack's power, the solidification of the water disabled Buizel's control over the attack and he crashed to the ground a few feet in front of Wartortle.

-Okay, I give. Is this some kind of surprise strategy?- Wartortle asked. Ivysaur used his vines once more to crush the ice encasing Buizel. Buizel got out of his own attack, looking mortified.

-Buneary, that's the second time you messed up!- Buizel shouted angrily.

-I'm sorry!- Buneary placed one paw on her face and wailed dramatically.

-Guys, the battle is still on you know.- Wartortle said from behind Buizel.

-Oh sh- - Buizel couldn't complete the sentence as a powerful water gun hit him on the back and sent him crashing.

-Get off Buizel!- Buneary said from underneath Buizel.

"This is a disaster." Dawn said gloomily.

"Don't worry Dawn, they'll get the hang of it eventually. My Pokémon just have more training, that's all. I'll have Ivysaur and Wartortle help your Pokémon develop teamwork. What do you say, guys?"

-Roger!- Wartortle saluted. Ivysaur nodded.

All of Dawn's Pokémon stood expectantly in front of Ivysaur and Wartortle. Buizel and Buneary were healed by Lita.

Wartortle took out his sunglasses and put them on, and turned towards his audience.

-Alright troops! Listen up and listen well. Our objective is to work on something crucial in Pokémon battling. Teamwork. Any questions before we start?-

Buneary raised her ear (yes, ear). –What is there to learn about it?- she asked.

Wartortle started pacing along as the Pokémon stood expectantly.

-Teamwork is important! You should be able to cover for your partner's weak points and trust your partner to watch your back while you battle. The basics of teamwork is the same in contests too, so we'll go over them in a battle situation.- Wartortle said.

-Trust is important in teamwork. Remember that your teammate is just as capable as you. Most of the times, you'll have to plan on the spot, so you'll need to synchronize perfectly with your teammate.- Ivysaur added.

-How do we do that?- Piplup asked.

-You need to be familiar with your teammate's battle style and what moves he knows.- Ivysaur said.

-Not to mention their speed, power and accuracy! Not knowing them will throw off the combination.- Wartortle added.

-Buneary was only getting in my way in our battle. Teamwork only slows me down.- Buizel said.

-You'll need to work as a team more often than you think!- Wartortle said. –If you don't learn to work together, you'll end up failing. Before Ash captured me, I only survived because I stuck together with some other Squirtle. Until recently, I was in charge of a firefighting squad. Let me tell you, if it wasn't for teamwork, I wouldn't be talking to you right now.- Wartortle said seriously.

"Wartortle sure knows a lot about teamwork." Ash commented. He was giving Dawn tips on attack combinations.

"They must be very experienced to fight like they did" Zoey said.

"Oh, they are. They're some of my oldest Pokémon. I usually train my newer ones with them helping out. It works really well." Ash replied.

"How can you understand them anyway?" Zoey asked curiously. She had never heard of such ability before.

"I'm an Aura Guardian. You see, all living beings have Aura, it's a form of energy. It's a bit complicated to explain, but Aura Guardians can communicate with Pokémon using Aura."

"I see." Zoey replied, not really understanding. She had heard about Aura Guardians, however.

Wartortle and Ivysaur continued to instruct Dawn's Pokémon on teamwork throughout the day. After several mock battles, they started to get the hang of it. Zoey bade farewell to them in the evening, and Ash and friends headed towards the nearby Pokémon centre.

The trip to Hearthome City was a long one, with many an eventful day. On one such adventure, Ash and friends found a very curious Pokémon. It had a dark-gray oval shaped face and yellow colored body. The Pokémon itself was small, and the Pokédex informed them that they were looking at a Shieldon, a Pokémon that was extinct for about a hundred million years. All the humans and Pokémon looked at Shieldon with wide eyes.

-Hi, do you know where my friends are?- the Sheldon asked Pikachu.

"Your friends? No, we don't, but we'll help you find them." The ever-so-helpful Ash offered. He knew it wasn't a good idea to let such a Pokémon walk around where people may try to capture him.

-Thank you. You can understand me?- Sheldon asked, looking up to Ash.

Ash's reply was cut short with the arrival of a vehicle. A burly man came out of the van and spotted the group, and more particularly, the Shieldon.

"You brats! You'll hand over that Shieldon to us if you know what's good for you." The man said roughly. Ash could sense the fear coming out of Shieldon and the malice seeping out off the man.

"Sorry sir, but we don't know what's good for us. Force of habit." Ash shrugged. Lucario took a combat stance in front of Ash, followed by Pikachu.

"Golbat, show that brat he's messing with the wrong people" the man said, hurling a Pokéball. Golbat immediately prepared for a Wing attack.

"Pikachu, time for a fried bat." Ash said with a grin. Moments later, a fried bat dropped to the ground, exhaling some soot, courtesy of Pikachu's lightning fast Thunder.

'This could be a problem. Wait a minute. That Lucario looks familiar.' The grunt's eye widened. Their commander had showed them Lucario's battle with Garchomp and gave them express orders to be on the lookout for it.

The man pressed a radio communicator and relayed his find immediately. "Commander J, Ma'am, the trainer with the Lucario you wanted is defending the Shieldon."

After a few seconds, a cruel voice was heard through the radio. "Keep them occupied. I'll deal with this myself."

"Looks like we're pretty famous." Ash said casually. He didn't think the group was much of a threat. After all, what was a group of hunters for someone who has faced Region wide Criminal organizations since he was ten?

More grunts came out of the van, with Pokéballs ready. They sent out numerous Pokémon, including more Golbat and some Houndoom.

"Pikachu, Lucario, you guys have a free reign." Ash said. Seconds later, Pikachu's Thunderbolt finished all aerial resistance. As soon as the Thunderbolt was over, Lucario shot forward with his incredible speed and started decimating the Houndoom and some other Pokémon the hunters were sending out.

"This is nuts! The guy's not even commanding them." The grunts were rightfully scared.

"Can't you imbeciles do anything right?" A woman's voice sounded. Ash turned to see a silver haired woman on top of a Salamance. She surveyed the damage.

"Nice. Looks like I hit the jackpot. I'll be taking the Pikachu too." The woman said, aiming a strange device at Lucario. She thought of him as a greater threat. As she fired a strange beam, Lucario vanished from his position. The beam missed completely and J felt a stinging pain in her stomach. Lucario reappeared next to her, his fist embedded in her gut.

'Not interested' Lucario commented, and hit her with a Force palm, blasting her from the Salamance's back. He immediately charged a Dragon Pulse and fired it at Salamance, who was taken by surprise. As Salamance lost balance and began to crash, Lucario backflipped and fired a Hyper Beam, the momentum enabling him to land by Ash's side. Incredibly, Salamance and J got up, with J wiping off a trickle of blood from her mouth.

"Che. We'll have to weaken him first. Go, Drapion, Ariados."

"We'll make the battle more even, Go, Electivire!" a new voice was heard. Ash turned quickly to see his old rival Gary joining him.

"Gary? What brings you here?" Ash asked, surprised.

"No time to explain, Ashy boy. We need to protect the Shieldon." He said.

"Yeah. Kinda figured out that one" Ash muttered.

"Ash using his head? Is the world ending?" Gary said in false panic. Brock sweat dropped at their antics and both Lita and Dawn were curious about the newcomer that knew Ash so well.

"Salamance, Hyper Beam! Drapion, Cross Poison on Pikachu. Ariados, Night Shade!" J ordered.

'Take cover!' Lucario yelled as he expanded his Aura to protect both his comrades. All three attacks were blocked by Lucario's makeshift shield.

"Double Thunder Bolt!" Ash and Gary yelled in unison. Their respective Pokémon fired the devastating electric attacks which hit Drapion and Ariados full force. Lucario fired another Dragon Pulse which hit Salamance. The Salamance didn't look happy.

"Ariados, use Psychic on Lucario. Salamance, Zen Headbutt. Drapion, use Pin Missle on Pikachu and Electivire."

Before Lucario could react, he was engulfed in a Psychic hold. Salamance hit him with Zen HeadButt, which released the Psychic hold. Lucario immediately used Metal Claw on Salamance's face, causing it to shriek in pain. Pikachu expertly dodged the Pin Missle while Electivire blasted them away with Thunder.

"We need to finish this fast. They don't care about being fair, why should we? Go, Blastoise and Umbreon!" Gary shouted.

"Fair point" Ash said. "I choose you, Wartortle, Ivysaur and Kingler!"

"Wow, they bring back memories. So they actually evolved, huh?" Gary asked. "Umbreon, Psychic! Blastoise, Hydro Cannon! Electivire, Thunder!"

"Wartortle use Hydro Pump, Kingler, use Hyper Beam. Ivysaur, Solar Beam! Lucario, Focus Blast and Pikachu… Discharge!"

J's eyes widened. "Oh, shi-"

A strong Psychic power gained control over the actions of J, her Pokémon and the hunters. Hydro Cannon and Thunder attacks combined, creating swirling balls of Hi-Volt water. Wartortle, Kingler, Ivysaur and Lucario launched their attacks in synchronism. Pikachu gathered his immense electrical reserves. The first time he used discharge, he was a bit exhausted. Now, he was fully charged. Electricity exploded from every fiber of Pikachu's being, dimming all other attacks in comparison as it rushed towards their immobilized targets. Ash actually felt sorry for them.

"**BOOM!"**

Hunter J, her Pokémon, the grunts, AND their van defied the laws of Physics and were blasted off into the horizon, replacing a certain group of Pokémon thieves who were now doing time in prison.

"Strange, I have an urge to say that we're blasting off." A blue haired man said.

"Maybe the Twerps got someone else for a change" said a red haired woman, and a catlike Pokémon nodded.

**Back to our heroes…**

"Holy mother of a Raichu! What the hell was that?" Gary said, staring wide eyed at the smoking crater where the hunters once stood. Pikachu's attack decimated even the ground they were standing on.

"That my friend," said Ash "was Discharge. That reminds me, I want a rematch against Electivire."

"Uh, no thanks. I'm not a trainer anymore you know." Gary said nervously, fearing for Electivire. The electric rodent just might have topped the strongest electrical attack in history.

Electivire was currently looking for a place to hide, as Pikachu looked at him smugly with his cheeks sparking. Electivire sensed the power behind the attack and was humbled. He didn't want Pikachu to get any ideas of revenge against him for their last battle.

"That never gets old." Lita spoke up, feeling the static in the air. She held a very scared Shieldon in her hands. Unknown to most, Lita had aided Umbreon in holding the hunters captive.

"Dawn, Lita, meet Gary Oak. He's my oldest friend. We grew up together in Pallet town." Ash introduced.

"Oak? As in Professor Oak?" Dawn asked.

"You've heard of my grandfather I see." Gary said, not really surprised.

"Yeah! He's a great poet. Are you a poet too?" she asked. Ash and Gary did an anime fall.

"No. I'm a Pokémon researcher. My grandfather is too. Speaking of the old coot, here he is now." Gary said.

"Are you alright Gary? I saw the mother of all electric attacks coming from this direction" and elderly voice said.

"Yeah. That would be Pikachu's Discharge." Gary answered. Ash turned to see Professor Oak and Professor Rowan, along with an Officer Jenny.

"Did you see a group of Pokémon Hunters here?" the Jenny asked.

"Yup. They went that way!" Ash pointed.

"But that's the sky." Jenny said, confusion evident in her voice.

"Precisely" Gary grinned.

**Meanwhile**

"Did you see that?" a grunt asked with wide eyes. They were watching J's battle with growing horror. J had never been defeated before.

"That kid… we better get the hell outta here before he finds us." Said another.

"Ah, she'll be mad" the pilot said. J had practically hundred percent success rate. The stealth vehicle that was J's hideout turned and headed towards J's current location.

**Sinnoh Research Facility**

"Thanks for the help, Ash. We would've lost Shieldon if not for your help." Gary said gratefully. All his research would've gone to waste, not to mention the Shieldon's fate.

"You've grown to impressive levels as a trainer, Ash. I saw your battle with Cynthia. You battled well." Professor Oak said.

"Thanks Professor, but what are you and Gary doing here in Sinnoh?" Ash asked.

"I came to see the results of Gary's research with my colleague, Professor Rowan. The Shieldon were created from fossils that we had obtained by cloning." The Professor said.

"They don't look any different than the picture the Pokédex has, so I guess you didn't alter their DNA?" Ash asked.

"Of course not! Who would do that?" Gary asked, shocked.

"I could think of a few people" Ash replied, thinking of Mewtwo's creation by Team Rocket.

"So, where is she?" Professor Oak Asked eagerly.

"Who?" Ash asked, genuinely surprised at the abrupt question.

"You know who, the Pokémon you said you'll show me when I meet you again!" Professor Oak looked excited, childish joy present in his features. Gary was surprised at his Grandfather's behavior. Never had he seen his Grandfather so excited.

"Oh, her." Ash said. 'Is it okay, Latias? We can trust them.'

'Of course. They look nice enough!' Latias replied.

"Presenting…" Ash said, waving his hand dramatically. "Latias!"

Silence.

"I'm not kidding, Ash, where is she?" Oak said, frustrated. Rowan frowned. Latias? The legendary?

A white glow surrounded Lita as she transformed to Latias. The two Oaks, Rowan and his assistant had their jaws dropped to the ground.

"The girl.. Latias.. Legendary.. Shape shifting.." Professor Oak muttered, unable to comprehend it. He distinctly heard her talk during the walk back to the research facility.

"She's the Legendary Latias? And you've captured her?" Professor Rowan said in disbelief.

"Well, she wanted to come with me." Ash said, enjoying their looks of shock. Latias too, equally enjoyed the attention.

"Well, I'll be a Mankey's uncle" Gary was equally astounded.

'Are you going to stare all day?' Latias' voice telepathically echoed. Professor Rowan jolted out of his trance. "Telepathy. That means.."

"She's not just any Latias, she's a Guardian Legendary." Professor Oak was baffled again.

"Hey, all of you know the legend of the Original One? Why didn't anyone tell me?" Ash said, a little offended.

"It's only known to us researchers. Why would we tell you?" Gary asked Ash with a hint of superiority.

"Because I'm in the legend, Gary." Ash said, startling the Professors.

"The Legend only refers to Pokémon and was made billions of years ago. How would you be in there?" Gary asked exasperatedly.

"His dress." Professor Oak said shakily. "Aura Guardian uniform…Don't tell me you're…"

"The Guardian of the Original Aura? Yup!" Ash said, doing a pose. Lucario shook his head in exasperation.

"But there hasn't been a Guardian in that position since…" Rowan trailed off.

'Sir Aaron. Ash is rightfully his successor in that regard. Their Auras are a perfect match. It is His.' Lucario said.

"How did you know?" Professor Oak asked. There was too much going on that Lucario talking using telepathy was the least of his worries.

'I've known Sir Aaron for over two decades during his time. And I've scanned Ash's Aura the first time I met him. I actually mistook him for Sir Aaron.'

"Then you're… how are you alive after all this time?" Professor Oak said in awe. Lucario matching the Champion's Garchomp made much more sense now.

'Long story' Lucario said. The Professors weren't satisfied, and Professor Oak made a mental note to ask Ash about it before he left Sinnoh.

"So, Ash, where did you capture Latias from?" Gary asked. Ash explained his adventures in Alto Mare and his recent trip which led to Latias coming with him.

The Professors spent the rest of the day asking Latias some questions and taking measurements. They had to upgrade the Pokédex with accurate information, after all. Latias answered them the best she could. Ash had told her how Professor Oak had been a big help throughout his journey and knew that the older man meant her no harm. Professor Oak vouched for his colleague. After that, they spent some time examining the Shieldon.

Professor Oak said that he could raise Ash's Pokémon limit to ten, as Ash seemed more than capable of handling the responsibility. Ash eagerly agreed, and the Professor made some manual adjustments to the Pokédex. Ash decided that he would switch out some Pokémon once he reached Hearthome city. He wanted to spend more time with Wartortle and Kingler. For now, he, Brock and Dawn stepped outside as the Professors studied the Shieldon. Gary followed them out. He was interested in the research, of course, but wanted to spend more time with his old friend. They only see each other once or twice a year nowadays. Latias, now Lita, followed them as the Professors had quenched their curiosity.

"So, Gary, how about that battle? For old time's sake?" Ash grinned.

Gary sighed. "You haven't let that go, have you? Fine. One on one?"

"You know it. Go, Pikachu!"

"Then I choose Electivire!" Gary tossed his own Pokéball.

-I suppose we have to settle this sooner or later.- Electivire sighed.

-I'm stronger, quicker and better than I was last time. Don't underestimate me- Pikachu warned.

Electivire remembered that discharge and shuddered mentally. –Believe me, I won't underestimate you. Ever.-

"Is Gary good at battling?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah, he used to be an excellent trainer, but discovered his passion is in research. I'd say he's either at Paul's level or slightly above it." Brock replied.

'A showdown between electric types. Pikachu can't use electric attacks because of his ability. This should be interesting.' Lucario said.

'Whoops. I almost forgot about Motor Drive' Ash thought mentally. 'Oh well, good thing we have other moves just as good. Glad I expanded Pikachu's move set.'

"Electivire, start off with Earthquake!" Gary went on the offence.

"Jump and use Iron Tail!" Ash countered immediately.

As soon as Electivire's foot slammed into the ground, Pikachu jumped into the air, hardening his tail. The seismic ripple passed harmlessly below, and Pikachu flipped in the air to increase the momentum of his strike. He adjusted the descent to aim at Electivire's head.

"Block it with Brick Break and grab Pikachu with your tail!" Gary shouted. Electivire did as told, blocking Pikachu's Iron tail with his Brick Break as his tail tightened around Pikachu.

"Now, Thunder and channel it through the tail!" Gary smirked.

"Pikachu, get free now!" Ash shouted desperately. He hadn't expected Electivire to use his tails like that. But it was no use, and Electivire shocked Pikachu with its best Thunder before releasing him.

-Ow. That hurt.- Pikachu winced. Electivire sweat dropped. That should have done a lot more than hurt Pikachu.

"Dig, Now!" Ash ordered. Pikachu dug and escaped from Electivire's immediate vicinity.

"He learned dig? Bad move. Earthquake!" Gary took the opportunity.

"Now, Pikachu!" Ash shouted. Pikachu executed his attack just before Electivire slammed his foot. It hit Electivire and unbalanced him. Ash pushed the opportunity.

"Focus Punch!" He yelled.

'Focus Punch too? Boy, Pikachu sure learned a lot of new moves.' Gary thought. Unbalanced as he was, Electivire couldn't defend himself and the attack hit him, causing him to fall down.

"Use Iron tail again!" Ash ordered. Before Electivire could get up, Pikachu's hardened tail hit his stomach, causing him to wince in pain. Pikachu back flipped and got to a safe distance. Electivire stood up, but the blows had done some damage.

"Electivire, Thunder!" Gary yelled.

"You know what to do, Pikachu!" Ash said with a confident smile. He often used his strategy against other electric types, after all. Electivire's Thunder descended on Pikachu. But as the smoke from the miniature explosion cleared, Pikachu could be seen standing unharmed- on his tail.

"Oh no. Not that again" Gary groaned. That was an all too familiar trick. "Electivire, Fire Punch!"

"Agility to dodge!" Ash ordered. By the time the Fire Punch landed, Pikachu was already far away.

"Gary, how would you like to see a one hit knockout move from Pikachu?" Ash asked.

"One hit? Please! Electivire can take a lot more than one hit. Even if you use Discharge, Motor Drive will suck it up." Gary scoffed. He was partly bluffing. He wasn't so sure Electivire would survive a Discharge from Pikachu.

'Ash looks confident. But I don't think any move from Pikachu can knock out Electivire in one hit. He can surely take a couple more of them.' Professor Rowan thought. The Professors had come out to watch the battle.

'What surprise do you have you now, Ash? Unless it's … -that- move' Professor Oak gulped. If Pikachu had learnt –that- move, it would be scary.

'So he's using the move I taught him. The only attack Pikachu has that tops Discharge.' Lucario thought, smirking.

"Oh, it's not Discharge. This move's stronger, and it's not an electric type move either." Ash said smirking. Gary had a growing sense of dread. "Pikachu, use Return!"

-Good Night Electivire- Pikachu said pleasantly.

A white aura surrounded Pikachu. Electivire was blinded by its intensity. He could hear Gary desperately shouting to get out of the way, but Pikachu was on him in less than a second. He felt an overwhelming force hit him, and then there was darkness.

Everyone was left speechless at the fainted form of Electivire. Well, almost everyone. Ash and his Pokémon expected it. They had just seen Pikachu learning it from Lucario that morning, and they saw what the attack did to Lucario. Never once outside his battle with Garchomp had Lucario cried in pain. But Pikachu's Return did some actual damage to Lucario, a feat everyone else were incapable of. Well, except maybe Latias. Her Psychic was something to behold as well.

'Okay. Pikachu + Return=Scary' Gary thought.

'Well, looks like Pikachu did learn –that- move after all' Professor Oak thought wryly.

'Such a strong bond between a trainer and Pokémon is unheard of' Rowan thought in amazement.

"How…?" Dawn asked. She was amazed at the strength of Pikachu's attack. She remembered being equally awed after witnessing Discharge.

"Return's strength increases as the strength of the bond between Ash and Pikachu increases. I'll let you measure the power of their bond based on what you saw" Brock replied. He himself was awed at the power, but more or less expected it when Ash called Return.

"Great battle Gary." Ash extended his hand to his long time rival and friend.

Gary shook it. "Well played, Ashy boy. Don't lose in the league and embarrass the rest of us" he said, smirking.

"I don't plan to. You'll watch me at the Champion's league in about a year, Gary" he said confidently. Gary was left speechless. Ash was already thinking that far ahead? Then again, after battling him today, and seeing the condition of the rest of Ash's Pokémon, Gary didn't doubt it for a second.

As Ash and his friends departed once again, Professor Oak had an overwhelming pride. Here was the boy who saw Ho-Oh on the first day of his journey. Now he was a formidable trainer capable of holding his ground against Elite four and Champion level trainers.

**Meanwhile, Hearthome City**

"There's a tag battle competition here in this city in a few days" a familiar Purple haired trainer told a small chimp like Pokémon looking up at him. "That will be your last chance to prove yourself. If you fail to do so, I'll assume that we are not compatible. Return."

Paul sighed and looked at Chimchar's Pokéball. Normally, he wouldn't have been affected by the pained look Chimchar had given him before recalling him. But Ash's words kept ringing in his head. It was in direct contradiction with what he had worked for so far. Paul saw only one surefire way to see what path he should choose. A plan that involved Ash Ketchum.

'You'll have to prove to me that I was wrong and you were right. And there's only one way to do that.' Paul thought.

**Post A/N:**

So, any guesses on what Paul's plan is? There should be plenty of hints in the last two paragraphs. Also, you might think I'm overpowering Pikachu, but let's face it. Ash's most experienced Pokémon. Besides, He can't do more than one of either Discharge or Return. It takes up too much of his power. So they're really desperation moves.

Thank you SO much for the huge amount of reviews for last Chapter. This Chapter came out a lot faster than it would because of that. Reviews really inspire me.

Everyone who reviewed last chapter, please do so again! Those who did not, please start to do so!

Until next time!


	13. The Will of Fire!

**Chapter 13**

**A/N: **A huge thank you to everyone who reviewed this story so far! We have crossed the 200 review mark! *Grins from ear to ear* Like Ash often says while eating, "More, please!"

Let's not forget everyone who added the story to alerts and favourites. Those counts have passed 200 too! Thank you for the silent support, but I'd be extremely happy to hear your thoughts as well.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. The characters and other elements of this story are the copyrighted property of Pokémon or its affiliates and licensors. This fan fiction is purely for enjoyment and no desire of profit comes out of it.**

**Chapter 13**

**The Will of Fire!**

Ash, Brock, Dawn and Lita arrived at the venue for the Hearthome City Tag Battle tournament. Even though training with Ivysaur and Wartortle had helped Dawn and her Pokémon towards greatly improving teamwork, she lost to Zoey in the second round of the Contest. Dawn was depressed, and Ash and Brock decided to enter her into the tag battle tournament. Two trainers would be randomly paired up against two other trainers, and the team members have to work together to win the tournament. Apparently, this was a popular event in Sinnoh, as evident from the number of participants.

"There sure are a lot of people here." Ash said, looking around at the crowded registration area. He could see lots of trainers and Pokémon everywhere around them. Ash was sure this would be a great way to have some of his Pokémon gain some more experience. He wanted to use Kingler and Wartortle because he hadn't battled with them seriously for some time now. Some of his newly caught Sinnoh Pokémon could also use the experience. He decided to switch out most of the current team after the tag battle tournament. He still had to work with his other Pokémon after all. Then, he could take advantage of being able to carry ten Pokémon at a time.

-I wonder if there'll be any strong trainers entering? Wartortle and Kingler are strong. They'll need some decent opponents.- Pikachu said. Ash sweat dropped. Pikachu hadn't forgotten that Dawn and Brock were entering, but Dawn was inexperienced and Brock isn't really a trainer. He's just entering so that his Pokémon's skills won't get rusty. Ash was sure his Kanto water types could defeat any of their Pokémon without a problem. Even Dawn's Buizel, he had power but very little experience in battling alongside a trainer.

A bit farther away from them, an auburn haired teen was having identical thoughts. He too, was a trainer from Kanto, who had come to Sinnoh to explore its Pokémon and challenge yet another League. He had reached top four in the recent Hoenn league competition and was hoping to do better here. Oh his shoulder too, was perched a little electric rodent with a scruff of fur on top of his head.

-I wonder if Ash and Pikachu will compete?- the electric rodent, also a Pikachu, wondered.

"I hope so." The auburn haired teen answered. "Ash has grown strong, maybe even stronger than us. You saw how his Lucario battled Cynthia's Garchomp, didn't you, Sparky?" Unlike Ash, Ritchie couldn't fully understand his Pokémon, but his bond with them was strong enough that he could make very good guesses.

-Yeah- Sparky gulped. –I wouldn't want to go up against him. I wouldn't mind battling Pikachu again though.-

"Heh, yeah. But we'll have to get stronger if we want to win the league. I'm almost sure he'll be competing too." Ritchie answered. Sparky wasn't paying much attention at this point. He had found what he was looking for. A trained electric type can sense another electric type, and it was easier for a Pikachu to sense another. He just sensed a very strong electric type, probably a Pikachu or a Raichu (He hadn't sensed that much power in a Pikachu besides himself, and it was possible the Pokémon he sensed was stronger. He jumped from Ritchie's shoulder and rushed in the general direction of the other electric type.

-Pi!- Pikachu said, straightening his ears. Ash could understand him, but occasionally Pikachu would just say parts of his name by habit. Ash had come to relate this particular sound and posture to Pikachu sensing something. Pikachu turned around, as did Ash. He saw what Pikachu had sensed. Another Pikachu was headed towards them, and this one definitely looked familiar. If he could just remember where...

-Sparky?!- Pikachu had no trouble at all remembering his old friend, even if they had known each other for a long time. Ash now recalled Sparky and the auburn haired boy associated with him.

-It is you! Great to see you! You too Ash!- Sparky looked very excited. Ash was about to ask where Ritchie was, since Sparky was never too far from him, when he saw the said boy running and waving at him.

"Ash! Long time no see! I had a feeling you'd enter this tournament too!" Ritchie said, grinning.

"Ritchie! Great to see you too! Did you come to Sinnoh to take part in the League?" Ash hadn't forgotten his old friend from the Indigo League. They hadn't seen each other since the Lugia incident in the Whirl Islands. By now, Brock, Dawn and Lita also noticed the newcomer. They had just returned from registering themselves.

"Yeah! Hey there Brock!" Ritchie greeted the Pewter City gym leader. Ash introduced Dawn and Lita to Ritchie.

"Ritchie, it's been a while. How are you doing?" Brock asked.

"Great, actually." Ritchie replied. "After Kanto, I trained my team for a while before tackling any major leagues. I travelled to Johto and Hoenn too, but we competed at different times." Ritchie said.

"Wow, you have a Pikachu too!" Lita exclaimed, noticing the similarities between Ash and Ritchie extended in more than just appearances.

"Yeah, we get that a lot. Both of us tend to catch a lot of the same Pokémon." Ritchie said, smiling.

"It's a bit weird, huh?" Ash asked.

"Yeah." Ritchie agreed. "So I guess you guys are participating too?"

"Yeah! This'll be a great opportunity to battle with some of my old Pokémon. I think you'll remember some of them from the league." Ash said.

"Really? Are you using Charizard?" Ritchie asked with a small smirk on his face.

"Don't look at me like that! Charizard obeys me just fine now. He's one of my strongest Pokémon." Ash said.

"So I guess your strongest is Lucario?" Ritchie asked, now turning to the said Pokémon. Lucario tended to stay quiet, but it was hard for people to not notice him. More than half of the contestants were aware of the fact that Ash was competing in the tournament just because Lucario was outside his Pokéball.

'Yes, I am probably his strongest.' Lucario said with a hint of pride. He has not met Charizard, but he doubted Charizard would be much stronger than Pikachu. Ritchie's eyes widened, but he had met Pokémon capable of telepathy before.

"I look forward to seeing you battle." Ritchie said. Yes, he was looking forward to seeing Lucario in action, but he would have preferred it if Lucario wasn't used against him just yet. His Pokémon were strong, but nowhere near Lucario's level.

"Well, I'm not using him in this tournament, but you'll probably see him in the league." Ash said.

"Oh, too bad then." Ritchie replied. However, the look of relief that spread across his face gave him away. Lita gave a slight giggle. An announcement cut off any further conversation.

"Attention all trainers! The Hearthome City tag battle competition will begin momentarily. Please approach the registration desk to draw a number from a lot. There are two lots each with the same numbers and, since the number of participants was limited to thirty two, we will have sixteen teams facing off against each other. A team will lose if both of the team's members are unable to continue battling. Each member of a team is allowed to use one Pokémon per match, but they may change the Pokémon between matches. The winning team will receive the Soothe bell as prize."

"Well, guess we'll see you later then!" Ritchie said.

"Best of luck, Ritchie! Don't lose until you face me!" Ash said.

"I don't plan on losing even if I have to face you." Ritchie replied with a smirk. He walked towards the registration desk, and Ash and the gang followed shortly after.

"I wonder who number fifteen is" Ash said out loud, holding his own card that read the same number.

"That'd be me." A familiar voice answered, and Ash turned to see Paul standing there with Elekid and Chimchar. Ash grinned. "Guess we're winning this one, eh, Paul?"

"I don't see anyone posing a challenge." Paul said with arrogance. Paul knew he was strong, and he and Ash had faced Stephen Stone and the guy named Riley a while ago. He was confident that even if they replicate a fraction of their teamwork back then, he'll win this tournament. But that wasn't his purpose.

Ritchie was searching for his tag battle partner as well. "Good thing we got number one, because that's where we'll be once we win this!" Ritchie said with excitement.

"That's a good attitude to have! I guess that'd make me your partner then." A feminine voice was heard from behind him. Ritchie turned around to find a girl(?) about his age, with short lilac hair and lilac eyes standing near him with an Espeon.

"Hello.. uh..." Ritchie was puzzled on how to address her(?).

"Anabel. Nice to meet you." She(!) said, extending a hand. Ritchie shook it.

"I'm Ritchie Hiroshi from Frodomar City. Nice to meet you too!" Ritchie said.

"You're from Kanto too, huh? I think I've seen you in one of the league tournaments..." Anabel looked like she was trying to remember.

"I was in the top four in the recent Hoenn league competition." Ritchie said with a hint of pride.

"Oh yes! The one that took place about three months ago, right? I've seen your battle. It was obvious from what I saw that you share a deep bond with your Pokémon." Anabel complimented.

"Thanks. So, have you competed in any leagues yet?" Ritchie was desperately hoping his tag partner was strong. He'll need all the help he can get against Ash.

"No, sorry. I'm just a Frontier Brain." Anabel replied.

"Oh, okay then- Waitaminute! Did you say Frontier Brain?!" Ritchie had a look of disbelief on his face. Frontier Brains were regarded as a tier between Gym Leaders and Elite Four.

"Yeah." Anabel said, amused at his reaction. Ritchie almost sounded like Ash right now. Come to think of it, Ritchie looked almost the same as Ash, complete with a Pikachu.

"Are you related to Ash Ketchum?" She asked bluntly. Ritchie sweat dropped.

"Why does everyone think that? No, but he's my friend. How do you know him?" Ritchie asked curiously.

"Oh, he won the Kanto Battle Frontier recently. I've met him when he came to challenge me."

Ritchie was impressed again. Even if Ash didn't have his League ranking, it was obvious who the stronger trainer was right now.

"He's battling here by the way." Ritchie said.

"Yeah, I heard. He's quite famous here in Sinnoh, with the battle between his Lucario and the champion's Garchomp." Anabel replied. 'Actually, he's the reason I'm here. But I can't tell him that Brandon practically ordered me to stalk him, can I?'

**Flashback**

"That's the relevant information concerning the Prophecy of Mew and Ash's role in it. We cannot afford to have him unwatched; this could very well be something cataclysmic. This mission is vital, Anabel. Do you understand it fully?" Brandon asked. He had called for a meeting of the G-Men of Kanto division to explain the situation to them. It involved many of the older Gym Leaders and strong trainers.

"Yeah. Basically, you want me to stalk him." Anabel said, her eyes twitching a little.

"NO!" Brandon said. "You are to observe him, watch who he interacts with, be on the lookout for Team Galactic and interfere only if necessary, while he is in Hearthome city."

"And this is different from stalking, how?" Anabel asked.

Brandon sighed. "Just do it."

"Why me? There are plenty of operatives in Sinnoh!" It's not that Anabel minded meeting Ash again, but she really didn't want to go all the way to Sinnoh and back again just to observe from the background.

"Yes, but most of them are Gym Leaders or are keeping track of Team Galactic." Brandon replied.

"What about my challengers?" Anabel asked desperately.

" We'll change the order of battle so that your turn is just before me. So the number of challengers you get within this time won't be very long." Brandon said.

"Just think of it as a vacation. You need to get out more." Noland, who was also present, said.

"Fine. But I won't stalk him. If I have to 'observe him', I'll go out there and meet him." Anabel said firmly.

"Fair enough" Brandon relented. "But don't make him suspicious. I don't think he'd appreciate the fact that we're watching him constantly."

"Just out of curiosity, who's watching him now?" Anabel asked.

"Cynthia reported all was well about a week ago. Occasionally, some of the local agents are checking up on him. But we've received reports that Pokémon Hunter J is after his Lucario. She's a big threat, as you know. So we're tightening security." Brandon said.

"J! Why didn't you tell me before? You know how ruthless she is! It's a miracle that he's unharmed till now." Anabel said, alarmed.

"Actually, according to the report, J didn't stand a chance. She was, borrowing the phrase, 'blasted off.'" Noland said.

Anabel looked at him incredulously. "Just how strong has he gotten?"

"Well, his Lucario lasted an impressive amount of time against Cynthia's Garchomp. Cynthia said that she hadn't had such a good battle aside from titleship matches." Noland said.

"Right. And you want me to protect him?" Anabel asked.

"We both know you're one of the strongest Frontier Brains now. It's always better to be on the safe side and have someone who can contact us at anytime near him." Brandon said.

After that, Anabel packed things up for a 'vacation' in Sinnoh.

"Anabel? Hello?" Ritchie was waving his hand in front of her face.

"Wha-? Oh, sorry. I was just wondering if my battle facility would be alright without me." Anabel quickly covered up.

"Are you here on a vacation, then?" Ritchie asked. Anabel nodded.

"Well, the battles are starting soon. Let's go!" Ritchie said.

"Right." Anabel followed him to the stadium.

At the stadium, Ash and company (now including Conway, Paul and Holly, who decided to stick with their tag battle partners) were waiting for the first match to begin.

"I think Ritchie is up first." Ash said, sensing his Aura. He felt a vaguely familiar presence with Ritchie but didn't think much of it.

"Ritchie from Frodomar City? This should be interesting." Paul murmured.

"You know him?" Ash asked, surprised.

"Not directly. But he was a semi-finalist in the last Hoenn league in which I competed." Paul said.

Ash let out a whistle. "My best was top eight in Hoenn. I'll just have to win this one."

The loudspeakers introduced the trainers as the first team stepped into the field.

"The first team to enter the field is Mike from New Bark town and Michelle from Oreburgh City. They will be facing up against Ritchie Hiroshi from Frodomar City, a semi-finalist in the previous Hoenn league, and Salon Maiden Anabel, Frontier Brain of the Kanto Battle Frontier."

The introduction caused several reactions. Ash chocked his popcorn on seeing the familiar frontier brain. Paul was shocked, but as it wore off, a smirk took its place. 'This will be the perfect opportunity.'

"A Frontier Brain with Ritchie? Ash and Paul were bad enough." Dawn said nervously.

"It's just a matter of working out a good counterstrategy." Conway said, but he seemed to be trying to reassure himself.

"This is bad." Brock said, as he was familiar with both of them. Holly nodded. Frontier Brains are gaining reputation to be true challenges for trainers.

"Choose your Pokémon!" The referee ordered.

"I choose you, Meganium!" Mike called out his Pokémon.

"Rhydon, I choose you!" Michelle called forth her Pokémon as well.

"Aqua, do your best!" Ritchie called out his choice. A Feraligatr appeared, causing Ash to sweat drop. 'This is getting creepy.'

"Come forth, my friend!" Anabel hurled her red and white Pokéball to the arena. Espeon was Anabel's choice for this battle.

"Begin!" The referee declared.

"Meganium, use Razor Leaf on Feraligatr!" Mike ordered.

"Rhydon, Horn Drill on Espeon!" Michelle followed.

"Espeon, stop them both with Psychic." Anabel countered.

"Aqua, Hydro Pump on Rhydon!" Ritchie intended to score a direct hit as Anabel immobilised Rhydon.

The torrent of leaves from Meganium and the fierce charge of Rhydon were stopped by Espeon's Psychic. Aqua's Hydro Pump immediately landed on Rhydon, causing super effective damage. It was a miracle Rhydon didn't faint immediately.

"Now, hurl that Rhydon at Meganium!" Anabel ordered. Espeon exerted her Psychic force to throw Rhydon towards Meganium. Mike acted immediately.

"Grab hold of Rhydon with Vine Whip! Don't let it fall on you!"

As Meganium's vines tied themselves around Rhydon, Richie decided to go for the finishing blow.

"Use Hydro Cannon on Rhydon!" He ordered. Feraligatr's Hydro Cannon smashed on Rhydon, who was immobilized by Meganium's vines. It blasted Rhydon onto Meganium, and he fainted before it made contact.

"Rhydon didn't do much, did he?" Dawn asked with a sweat drop.

"It was weak. That was expected." Paul said coldly. Others frowned at his behaviour.

"Rhydon is unable to battle." The referee stated, as Michelle recalled him. Mike was starting to sweat.

"Sunny day!" Mike ordered. The sun grew brighter, but Anabel didn't allow him the obvious follow up.

"Espeon, Toxic!" she ordered. Espeon let out a cloud of poisonous gas from her mouth, which enveloped Meganium.

"Get out of the cloud and use Aromatherapy on yourself!" Mike ordered, as he knew how dangerous Poison type attacks could be if not dealt with immediately. Meganium immediately obeyed, and she darted out of the poisonous cloud.

"Ice Fang now!" Ritchie wasn't about to give Meganium the time to release Aromatherapy. Aqua rocketed towards Meganium, his fangs being covered in frost and elongating. His bite dug into Meganium, who was preparing for Aromatherapy. The succession of attacks proved too much and caused Meganium to faint, thus giving the victory to Anabel and Ritchie. Mike recalled his beaten Pokémon as Anabel and Ritchie Hi-fived.

"Anabel and Ritchie completely overwhelmed them." Brock commented. Holly and Conway were looking nervous at the prospect of facing them eventually.

"Hey guys, let's go congratulate them. It's been a while since we saw Anabel anyway." Ash suggested.

"You know her?" Dawn asked, surprised.

"Yeah, I did win the Battle Frontier after all." Ash replied. Conway and Holley gave a start of surprise. They headed towards their friends, as the upcoming battle didn't involve any of them. Unsurprisingly, Paul stayed behind, opting to watch the next battle.

"Hey, Anabel! I didn't know you were in Sinnoh!" Ash didn't think he'll see her outside Kanto, given how she needed to stay at her facility. Anabel's Espeon immediately locked eyes with Lita, causing the latter to sweat drop. Thankfully, Espeon decided to stay silent until she had a chance to talk to Lita.

"Hi Ash, Brock! I'm on a vacation. When I heard of the tournament, I decided to compete." Anabel said. Ash introduced her to the rest of his company.

"I've heard about your battle against Cynthia. I didn't know you were that strong." Anabel complimented.

"Thanks. Everyone I meet is commenting on that." Ash said. "That battle was all Lucario. But I have gotten stronger as well."

'I couldn't have lasted that long without your help.' Lucario said modestly.

"Lucario must be very experienced to use telepathy." Anabel was impressed.

"Yeah, he has about two decades worth of experience." Ash said casually. Both Anabel and Richie had eyes as large as saucers, along with Holly and Conway."Did I mention he's seven centuries old?" Ash added, grinning.

"You're kidding me." Anabel said, refusing to believe that.

'No, he is not. I was born seven centuries ago, at the time of what you call the Great War. The Aura Guardian named Sir Aaron taught me on the ways of Aura since I was a Riolu.' Said Lucario.

"You mean... you're Sir Aaron's legendary apprentice?" Ritchie asked, shocked. As he hailed from Kanto, he was familiar with the Kanto legends.

'Yes.' Lucario said simply.

"That explains his strength. You're not using him in this tournament, are you?" Anabel asked.

"Nope. But I guarantee that you guys won't win." Ash said confidently.

"Pride comes before a fall." Anabel warned.

"I trust my Pokémon." Ash said simply. No one could argue with that.

After Brock and Dawn won their respective battles, the eighth battle of the first round began.

"For this battle, we have Alex from Blackthorn City and Tony from Snowpoint City facing Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town and Paul from Veilstone City." Judging from their opponent's faces, Ash figured they've heard of him before.

"Scizor, aid me!" Alex called his Pokémon.

"Kingler, let's win this!" Ash called his old friend.

"Magmar, battle time!" Tony called his choice.

"Chimchar, standby for battle!" Paul ordered.

"Let the battle begin!" The referee declared.

"Scizor, use Brick Break on Kingler!" Alex ordered.

"Magmar, use Fire Blast on that chimp!" Tony ordered.

"Intercept Scizor with Vice Grip!" Ash ordered.

"Chimchar, Dig!" Paul commanded.

As Scizor's advance was stopped by Kingler's ViceGrip, Chimchar used Dig to escape the raging ball of fire headed towards him.

"Quick! Throw Scizor into the fire!" Ash ordered.

"Wha-?" Alex and Tony were caught off guard.

Kingler took the command in the stride, and hurled Scizor into the fiery inferno created by Magmar. Scizor looked bad as he emerged from it.

"Not fair! Scizor, fly up and use Focus Energy!" Alex instructed.

"Don't let it! Chimchar, Flamethrower!" Paul ordered. Chimchar emerged from the ground, as Scizor began his ascent.

"Fire Punch!" Tony decided to help Scizor escape. Magmar's fire punch sent Chimchar crashing into the arena. Chimchar got up, but was bruised.

'Magmar's much more experienced than Chimchar. Better take him out soon.' Ash thought. "Kingler, Water Gun on Magmar!" he ordered. Magmar had closed in the distance to attack Chimchar, so he was hit almost point blank by the Water Gun.

"Follow up with Crab hammer!" Ash pushed the advantage.

"Lava Plume!" Tony took advantage of Kingler's Proximity. As soon as the Crab Hammer hit, lava erupted out of Magmar's body. Even if the attack was not very effective, the proximity caused Kingler to flinch a little. Magmar's condition was much worse.

"Hyper Beam!" Ash ordered. Kingler fired the Hyper Beam at close range, forcing Magmar back due to the force. Incredibly, Magmar had not fainted from the succession of attacks.

"Scizor, Metal Claw while Kingler can't move!" Alex ordered.

"Chimchar, Flame Wheel on Scizor!" Paul ordered. Chimchar intercepted Scizor's Metal Claw with Flame Wheel, doing super-effective damage.

"Magmar, use Thunder Punch on Kingler!" Tony desperately hoped Kingler wouldn't move before the attack hit.

Ash sensed that Kingler has just recovered his strength from the draining attack, and made his move. "Dig, now!"

Magmar's ThunderPunch hit the ground as Kingler disappeared into the earth.

"Chimchar, Flamethrower on Magmar!" Paul ordered. Chimchar breathed out a stream of fire which scored a direct hit on Magmar from behind. Magmar looked like he was on his last legs.

"Resurface!" Ash commanded with triumph. Kingler emerged right in front of Magmar, hitting it with his pincers in the process. Magmar was knocked out.

"Scizor, Night Slash on Chimchar!" Alex yelled desperately. Chimchar was hit with a Night Slash from the back, which caused him to stagger.

"Rock Slide on Scizor!" Ash ordered. Kingler wasted no time in attacking Scizor, scoring another hit.

"Use Fire Spin!" Paul ordered. Chimchar's Fire Spin hit Scizor, causing him to faint from all the super effective attacks.

"Scizor is unable to battle. Victory goes to Ash Ketchum and Paul." The referee declared.

"Even after all this time, Ash is able to work that well with Kingler. Just goes to show you how close he is to Pokémon." Brock commented. Lita nodded, knowing it to be true.

The second round was to be held the next day, as the eight first round battles used up all the time. Ash decided to use the Pokémon transfer facility to call a Pokémon back to him, which left his friends puzzled.

"Ash, I thought you'd only be bringing some of the other Pokémon for training after this tournament? What caused this change of mind?" Brock asked.

"One of my Pokémon asked me to call him back, if I were to face Ritchie again someday. Since there's a good chance that I'll battle him here, I decided to bring him back." Ash said.

"You have a lot of confidence in me, Ash." Brock said sarcastically, as he and Holly had to face Ritchie and Anabel at the start of the second round.

"You know it!" Ash grinned. Brock face vaulted.

"Well, you're not the only one who's training their older Pokémon, you know!" Brock said with a glint in his eye. Ash knew this was true. Brock was inspired to bring back some of his older Pokémon and train them, as Professor Oak had suggested to him when they met in Gary's research facility.

Elsewhere, Paul let out his Chimchar who was still bruised from the fight.

"Today, you disappointed me. Repeat this, and I'll make good of what I said earlier." He said coldly. Chimchar felt his stomach drop. Was his best not good enough for his trainer?

Paul recalled Chimchar and headed towards the Pokémon centre. 'Tomorrow's battles will prove your worth to me. If you cannot awaken your power even then, I'll go with my plan.' He mused.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the second round of the Hearthome City tournament will start with this match, where the solid combination of Ritchie and Anabel face off against Holly, a bird Pokémon specialist, and Brock, former Gym leader of Pewter City in Kanto." The announcer said.

"You're a Gym Leader?" Holly asked, startled.

"Yeah. I was the first Gym Leader Ash had to face." Brock replied. Holly's eyes held a hint of admiration.

"You may choose your Pokémon." The referee declared.

"Swellow, I choose you!" Holly said, going again with a flying type.

"Sparky, your turn!" Ritchie said with a smirk.

Brock grinned. "Ritchie, you didn't have a chance to face me as a gym leader, but now, you'll be put in the exact same situation Ash was all those years ago. By the very same Pokémon. Steelix, it's time for some action!"

An enormous snake like Pokémon emerged from Brock's Pokéball. He was big, even by Steelix standards. Ritchie gulped, and Sparky backed away a little.

"Let me take care of this. Help us, my friend!" Anabel summoned her Alakazam to battle.

"Begin!" the referee declared.

"Swellow, Ominous Wind on Alakazam!" Holly ordered.

"Use Shock Wave!" Anabel ordered.

"Use Iron Tail on Steelix." Ritchie instructed.

"Use Iron Tail as well!" Brock countered.

Ominous wind and Shockwave avoided each other, as their primary focus was the target. Both Pokémon flinched from the effective moves. Unfortunately for Ritchie, Sparky could not match the strength of a fully grown Steelix's Iron Tail. The attack sent Sparky on a collision course with the ground.

"Alakazam, Fire Punch on Steelix!" Anabel ordered.

"Swellow, intercept it with Aerial Ace!" Holly instructed. Swellow immediately hit Alakazam, causing him to stagger back and lose focus.

"Thunder!" Ritchie yelled. Electricity exploded from Sparky's fallen form, heading for Swellow.

"Intercept it!" Brock ordered. If that Thunder hit the mark, it would be game over for Swellow. Fortunately, Steelix was able to nullify the attack in time.

"Look at that, folks! We have an exemplary battle on how tag battles should be, with each participant covering up for their opponent's weakness!" The announcer commented.

"Alakazam, use Disable on Steelix!" Anabel ordered. Alakazam exerted the will of his consciousness to prevent Steelix from moving.

"Sparky, Electro Ball on Swellow!" Ritchie ordered.

"Wow, that's amazing teamwork!" Ash commented.

"Indeed. Anabel blocked off Brock's support, and Swellow is alone without aid against a Pikachu against which she has no chance of winning." Conway remarked.

"Protect!" Holly ordered desperately. Swellow was able to raise a shield just in time to avoid getting hit.

"This is bad. Holly, I don't think Steelix will be able to move for a while. He's resisting with everything he's got, but Anabel's Alakazam is plenty strong. If it comes down to it ..." Brock whispered some instructions to Holly. Her eyes widened. "I never thought of using those moves like that, you're a genius, Brock! Though, I hope things won't come down to it." Holly said appreciatively.

"Sparky, they can't hide behind that forever! Thunder Bolt attack!"

"Double Team!" Holly ordered. Multiple images of Swellow surrounded Sparky.

"If you can't hit the real one, hit them all! Discharge!" Ritchie said, grinning like a maniac.

"Holly, this would be a really good time to-" Brock sounded extremely panicked. If this was anything like Pikachu, Swellow was toast.

"On it, Brock! Endure!" Holly ordered. The spray of lightning that ensued demolished the field and all the Swellow copies. Some of the crowd fainted at the abrupt Thunderstorm.

-Not bad, but still nowhere near my standards.- Pikachu said, crossing his arms.

'We even had our Pokémon learn identical moves? What's up with this crazy author?' Ash thought. One of the Discharge bolts struck him. 'Shutting up now'

As the arena cleared, Swellow looked ready to collapse.

"Your plan backfired. Swellow, Endeavour!" Holly didn't want to resort to this tactic, but Brock had suggested it if it was unavoidable.

"Well, shit." Ritchie cursed. Immediately after Holly's command, a dark Aura had surrounded Sparky, making him equally as damaged as Swellow.

"Steelix, Slam!" Brock ordered. Steelix used more power to resist disable, until Alakazam was unable to hold it. As time passed, Alakazam's Psychic energy wore down, and Steelix was plenty strong as he was. Steelix was able to shatter the disabling blow and hit Sparky with all his might. Since Sparky was heavily damaged from Endeavor, he was unable to dodge the attack despite Ritchie's warning, and thus fell victim to Steelix. The referee declared him unable to continue.

"Alakazam, Psybeam!" Anabel ordered. The Psybeam hit Swellow before she could react, causing her to faint as well. The battle was now between Anabel and Brock.

"Wow, I didn't expect those combinations." Ash was impressed. Conway nodded. "An ingenious strategy. Holly had Swellow use her weakness to her advantage."

"Steelix, Crunch!" Brock ordered.

"Teleport out of the way and launch Hyper Beam!" Anabel ordered. Alakazam escaped Steelix's jaws at the last second and appeared behind him, Hyper Beam ready. Steelix was caught unaware by the attack.

"Rock Polish!" Brock ordered.

"Use Focus Punch!" Anabel took advantage of Steelix's vulnerability, and Alakazam scored another direct hit. He had enough time to recover from the Hyper Beam, as Steelix's Rock Polish took some time.

"Payback!" Brock ordered. With amazing speed, Steelix hit Alakazam and caused damage with interest. Alakazam looked pretty battered from the payback.

"Follow up with Crunch!" Brock pushed the advantage. Steelix bit hard at Alakazam. Alakazam was unable to dodge due to Steelix's newfound speed and his own condition.

"Alakazam, Recover!" Anabel instructed. Alakazam healed most of the damage dealt to him.

"Use Confusion!" Anabel followed up. Alakazam's Psychic force attacked Steelix's consciousness, leaving him confused. Steelix began to bang his head in the ground.

"Snap out of it, Steelix!" Brock said desperately. It was no use, however. Steelix kept on damaging himself.

"Fire Punch!" Anabel pushed the advantage. Steelix was unable to dodge due to the confusion, and the damaging move hit its target.

"Iron tail!" Brock said desperately, which only caused the said move to hit Steelix due to the confusion.

"Use Psychic!" Anabel ordered. Alakazam grabbed hold of Steelix using his mental power, exerting its strength into crushing his opponent.

"Time for the grand finale." Anabel said with a smile. A beam of Psychic energy came out of nowhere and collided with Steelix, causing it to faint. Even with his resistance to Psychic type moves, the combined effect of all the attacks took its toll on him.

"Future Sight" Ash and Lita murmured at the same time.

"Steelix is unable to battle! Alakazam wins, which means the victory goes to Anabel and Ritchie!" The referee announced.

"That was an intense battle." Ash commented. Brock just might have won this match. He had underestimated Brock's skills as a trainer. Everyone joined in the applause as the opponents shook hands.

After two more battles, with the third match of the second round ending in Dawn and Conway's favour, Ash and Paul stepped into the field once again.

"The participants of this tag battle are Tristan from Cherrygrove City and Jacob from Sevii Islands. Their opponents are Ash Ketchum from Pallet town and Paul from Veilstone City. Please choose your Pokémon!"

"Wartortle, your turn!" Ash chose his old friend.

"Zangoose, win this!" Tristan's choice of Pokémon caused Paul to grin.

"Chimchar, standby for battle!" Paul ordered. Upon seeing Zangoose, Chimchar panicked and hid behind Wartortle, causing Paul to grit his teeth.

"Ursaring, I choose you!" Jacob called forth his warrior.

"What's up with Chimchar?" Ash asked Paul. He could feel the fear in Chimchar's Aura.

"None of your business." Paul said with a glare.

"Battle begin!" the referee instructed.

'Wartortle, think you can protect Chimchar? He looks scared.' Ash communicated mentally. Wartortle was used to Ash's telepathy by now, and he gave no indication of hearing it on the outside. But he replied an affirmative in his mind, which Ash picked up.

"Ursaring, Thunder Punch on Wartortle!" Jacob instructed.

"Zangoose, Water Pulse on Chimchar!" Tristan ordered.

Paul didn't react at all. He seemed to be looking intently at Chimchar, gauging his reaction. Chimchar still covered behind Wartortle. Ash gritted his teeth at Paul's indifference.

"Use Blizzard to stop them in their tracks!" Ash ordered. Wartortle exhaled icy air that frosted everything it came in contact with. Ursaring was unable to move through the chilling cold, and Zangoose's Water Pulse changed form to ice, where it lost its momentum and fell to the ground.

Tristan knew this was a bad move with Chimchar on the field, but the cold would slow his Pokémon's reactions. He didn't have much of a choice.

"Use Sunny Day!" he ordered. The field instantly warmed, giving the Pokémon more mobility.

"Perfect. Chimchar, Flamethrower!" Paul ordered. Chimchar snapped out of his fear and obeyed instantly, the fire he breathed directed towards Zangoose. It looked like Chimchar feared something worse than Zangoose.

"Intercept it with Hyper Beam!" Jacob ordered. Ursaring covered Zangoose and launched Hyper Beam, which overwhelmed the Flamethrower and hit Chimchar. Since Chimchar was also attacking, Wartortle couldn't block it.

'I have to take one of them out fast.' Ash thought. "Wartortle, Focus Punch on Ursaring!" he instructed. The attack landed on the immobilized Ursaring, dealing considerable damage.

"Zangoose, Rain Dance!" Tristan felt stupid for using two cancelling moves, but the Blizzard from earlier and Chimchar's nature made it necessary.

"Chimchar, Flame Wheel!" Paul ordered. Chimchar cloaked itself in flames and went after Zangoose, but the attack was a little hesitant. Coupled with the loss of power due to Rain Dance, Zangoose was able to dodge easily.

"Ursaring, Hammer Arm on Wartortle!" Jacob ordered.

"Zangoose, Rock Tomb!" Tristan followed.

"Hydro Pump!" Ash countered. Ursaring's powerful punch didn't get a chance to land as Wartortle's powerful attack sent it crashing between Zangoose and Chimchar. Zangoose's attack hit Ursaring instead of Chimchar, causing him to be angry towards Zangoose.

"Use Fire Spin!" Paul ordered. Chimchar fired the attack, which hit Ursaring on the back. Unfortunately, this only caused it to grow angrier.

"Ursaring, Hyper Beam on Chimchar!" Jacob grinned. Ursaring turned and launched a full power Hyper Beam at Chimchar. The beam made contact, but the smoke cleared to show Wartortle using Withdraw to protect Chimchar.

"Great job, Wartortle! Skull Bash!" Ash instructed. Wartortle immediately capitalized on Ursaring's immobilized state and hit him with his trademark move. Ursaring was knocked out before he hit the stadium wall, and the referee declared him unable to battle.

'That's one powerful Wartortle.' Paul thought.

"Zangoose, use Thunder!" Tristan said desperately. Zangoose fired a Thunder that hit Wartortle full force. Wartortle just cleaned the soot in his Sunglasses and stood like nothing happened.

-How...?- Zangoose looked on in disbelief.

-You call this a Thunder? It's nothing compared to what Pikachu gives me during the spars. By the way, take this!- Wartortle completed the conversation with a Hydro Pump, which hit Zangoose on his face and caused him to crash into the arena.

"Zangoose, use Rollout!" Tristan ordered. Zangoose got up with difficulty and headed towards Chimchar, his Rollout gaining speed and momentum with time. Chimchar looked too petrified by fear to move.

"Wartortle, intercept with Rapid Spin!" Ash ordered. Wartortle hit Zangoose and caused Rollout to change direction by the collision between horizontal and vertical spins. Zangoose was now headed towards the arena wall, but he used the last semblance of control he had to turn around.

"Use Skull Bash!" Ash ordered. Wartortle launched himself against Zangoose, knocking him out and ending the match.

"This was pretty much a one man show by Wartortle." Conway commented.

"Chimchar was very scared of Zangoose. I wonder why?" Lita mused.

The day's matches drew to a close, and Ash exited the stadium with Paul. Paul turned to face Ash and threw Chimchar's Pokéball at Ash, who caught it deftly.

"What are you doing?" Ash asked in shock.

"He's yours now." Paul said uncaringly. "Do what you want with him. Coddle him, snuggle him, I don't care anymore." He walked away. But the message was clear to Ash- If you want me to believe you on your training method, you must prove it to me.

"What was that about?" Brock asked. He and the rest of Ash's company, including Ritchie and Anabel, just exited the stadium in time to see Paul walk away.

"Paul." Ash said through gritted teeth. "He just abandoned Chimchar."

"What? But why?" Anabel was thoroughly shocked, as was Ritchie and Conway.

"He's a trainer that cares only about strength. I thought he was changing. Evidently, I was wrong." Ash replied, glaring at Paul's retreating form.

"He hasn't told Chimchar yet. I think I know the perfect Pokémon to talk to him right now." Ash said.

-Oh no, not him. You know that's a bad idea.- Pikachu said with worry.

"I trust him. He knows what it's like." Ash said, enlarging a Pokéball. "Charizard, I choose you!"

Everyone, except Ash's Pokémon, were surprised by the new entry. 'So this is the Pokémon Ash brought back to battle against Ritchie' Brock mused.

-What is it? Oh, you! I'll enjoy beating you.- Charizard's eyes immediately locked on to Ritchie and Sparky as soon as he looked around. He still remembered the embarrassment he caused his trainer at the Indigo Plateau. Ritchie interpreted Charizard's roar correctly, and gulped.

"You two have some history?" Anabel asked.

"You could say that." Ritchie said, smiling sheepishly.

"Easy, Charizard. I didn't call you for the battle. You may battle him in time, but right now, I have someone who needs your help." Ash said.

-My help? What would that be?- Charizard asked curiously.

"Well, a trainer named Paul gave up on his Chimchar. He told me to raise Chimchar and that he didn't care anymore." Charizard's eyes narrowed and he had a look of absolute rage in his face. Most of Ash's company were getting very scared seeing Charizard's expression.

-Where is that bastard?- Charizard asked with a low growl.

"Charizard, you can't harm him. He's just misguided. I need you to break the news to Chimchar and help him get over the depression. Can I count on you?"Ash asked his strongest fire type.

-Only you would think that scum like that are misguided. But I'll respect your wishes. Leave Chimchar to me.- Charizard replied.

Ash let out the fire chimp Pokémon. He was still hurt from the battle. Lita healed him, which caused questions from all the trainers who witnessed it. Lita went with her usual excuse.

-Why am I here? Where's Paul?- Chimchar looked around, confused.

-Come with me, kid. We need to talk.- Charizard lifted Chimchar and flew off.

-Aaah! Help me! Paul, where are you?- Chimchar cried, intimidated by the enormous (to him) pseudo dragon. Charizard felt a surge of anger.

-Paul isn't coming back, kid. He abandoned you- Charizard said bluntly. Chimchar's eyes widened in shock. Tears welled in his eyes.

-I failed, didn't I? Over and over again, he kept telling me. He told me that was my last chance. But he really did it. He doesn't want me. I'm weak.- This caused Charizard to land in a clearing and release Chimchar from his grip. He literally had fire burning in his eyes.

-You're NOT weak! No pathetic human will understand the will of a fire type! We are the fire! We consume everything and burn in its glory! The stronger we get, brighter burns our flame! Nothing will put it out. I will not allow it!- Charizard roared to the heavens and unleashed his fury. He exhaled a torrent of fire that advanced to form the shape of a dragon, then a bird. His tail flame grew in size.

-In the name of Moltress, we will prevail!- Charizard said fiercely. Chimchar was awed by the display of power. Charizard looked at Chimchar. Chimchar flinched back at his gaze.

-He gave up on you because he thought you were weak. What are you going to do about it?- Charizard asked.

-I tried to get strong! I really did! But it was never enough for Paul. He kept pushing me and pushing me. My strength was never enough for him.- Chimchar said glumly.

-Never let anything stop you. Show the world what it means to be a fire type. Your new trainer will help you rather than scold you. He'll never yell at you and never scold you. Most importantly, he'll be there for you.- Charizard's eyes grew softer with each sentence. Memories passed before his eyes. A lone Charmander waiting in a heavy downpour for a trainer who would never return. A young trainer who thought it his duty to save the little fire type and provide him warmth. How the Charmander bonded with his trainer. How he... evolved. And changed. How he grew haughty of his power. How he thought he didn't need a trainer anymore. How his disobedience doubled when he became a Charizard. How he failed his saviour at his first league competition. He remembered getting into a battle he couldn't win. He remembered being stuck in a prison of ice. How his trainer had still not given up on him, had stayed with him and broke him free of the prison of ice and the prison of conceit. He remembered swearing his allegiance then, but not letting go of his superiority fully. Wistfully, he remembered how his ego took its major bruise at the hands of Charla in Charicific valley. His trainer allowed him to get stronger on his own. How-

-You've been through a lot, haven't you?- Chimchar's voice interrupted his thoughts. Charizard cursed inwardly. His face must have shown his thoughts. But how was the little Chimp able to read him so easily? When he locked eyes with Chimchar, he felt something familiar there. Memories. Bad ones. This fire type was like him. He has suffered a lot.

-Who's this new trainer who you said have taken me?- Chimchar asked curiously, with a slightest hint of hope.

-His name is Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town.- Charizard replied proudly. –My trainer.- He said with so much emotion buried underneath it. –You better listen to his every word! Or I'll be teaching you some manners. Remember that.- Charizard said. Better give an early warning. He didn't think it would happen, but there was always a chance Chimchar would be similar to Charizard in more ways than one. He then escorted Chimchar back to the waiting trainers.

'Don't you think you were a little harsh on him?' A red and white dragoness appeared on Charizard's side as Chimchar eagerly listened to Ash, clinging on to his every word.

-Spying on us, are we? I told him only what was necessary. You'll never understand the fire that burns inside us fire types. Soothing water only dims it. But the harsh wind makes it burn brighter.- Charizard said. -Now to thrash that rodent. I'm itching for a spar.- He took off towards Pikachu.

Latias let out a small chuckle, thinking of Pikachu's plan to have Lucario and Charizard have a sparring match. She didn't want to miss that. She transformed back to human form and joined the others, who weren't paying attention to Charizard. Except for a particular Espeon, that is. Said Pokémon had her jaw dropped to the ground. 'A Latias!'

**A/N: **This chapter was done a day ahead of schedule. Life is getting busier, but I'll try and find some time to write. I hope Charizard's passionate speech wasn't too sappy. I felt it was a typical Charizard response.

**This update is an early Christmas present to all my loyal readers! Merry Christmas everyone! Your presents to me can take the form of reviews XD. They really help me write. So read and review! Tell me if you want me to include the Lucario vs. Charizard spar in the next Chapter.**

**23/01/13**

**Note: I'm currently in the process of editing the entire story and adding "descriptive fluff" so that the chapters won't feel that rushed or bland. Please bear with me. My beta, Shaydrall, is helping me a lot. To know when I'll update the next chapter, see my profile!**


	14. The more, the merrier!

**Chapter 14**

**A/N: Thank you, Deoxys, for the wonderful cover picture you designed for this fic. It fits with the story well!**

**Sooo... I'm back!**

The reason for my long absence was partly because I was very busy IRL. The other reason is that I realized that my first chapters were a bit too dry and Ash was sometimes slightly OOC. It looked like a bunch of statements, and I went way too fast. So, I asked for help and got Shaydrall to be my beta. He did a wonderful job at pointing out my mistakes and correcting me at places.

**So I've improved chapters 1 through 5, and generally made those chapters more enjoyable. I've added some 10k words to those chapters. Hope you guys check it out, it's way better now. The character interactions are also way better.**

**Important change in the tone of this fic:**

Now, as most of you guys know, I hadn't addressed any sort of romance till this point. Now, the status quo has changed. I'm not that good at writing romance, but my beta gave some very helpful suggestions. So I'm giving it a shot. This is evident in the changed chapter 5. Give me your thoughts!

As I said, romance will take the back seat, but will be present for comic relief, awkward moments etc. There is no definite pairing, as Ash will be as dense as ever. So it's more like one sided romance. If you don't like it, you can just ignore it.

I'll edit chapters 6 through 13 eventually. Thank you all for the wait!

**IMPORTANT NOTE:**

The 'Key' of the fic was changed as follows. The following is the norm followed in the new chapters 1 to 5, and I'll edit chapter 6 to 13 to that norm soon:

Key:

"Speech"

_Thoughts_

"_Telepathy_"

'Pokéspeech'

Alpha B. A. 7: Handling another battle involving Charizard would be boring. But I'll try to include a Pikachu vs. Charizard spar in one of thee later chapters.

Aryan: I'll take the moves you suggested into consideration, but teaching some of them won't be for a long time. I have specific times or episodes planned to teach certain moves.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. The characters and other elements of this story are the copyrighted property of Pokémon or its affiliates and licensors. This fan fiction is purely for enjoyment and no desire of profit comes out of it.**

**Chapter 14**

**The more, the merrier!**

The next day, our heroes once again arrived at the arena of the Hearthome City Tag Battle Tournament after a refreshing night's rest. The semi-finals and the finals would take place today. Assuming Ritchie and himself made it to the final round, Ash planned on using his Charizard.

Ash restrained a sigh when he recalled the last day's events. Paul abandoning Chimchar came totally out of the blue. He was lucky Charizard was there to restore Chimchar's fighting spirit. He didn't know what Charizard told the little chimp, but Chimchar did not look remotely as sad as he was supposed to after a trainer, albeit a harsh one, abandoned him.

Ash too, talked to Chimchar for a while, and learned that Chimchar was once hurt seriously by a pack of Zangoose, and Paul had caught him after he had succumbed to unconsciousness. Chimchar described 'getting really, really mad at Zangoose' before fainting, which Charizard translated as the Blaze ability kicking in. Ash bit back a growl. Paul was aiming to force Chimchar into a situation where he would be forced to use blaze, and Chimchar can't even use it properly. He needs proper training and discipline before mastering blaze, something Ash knew courtesy of Charizard. Chimchar was overjoyed that his new trainer could understand him and was patient with him. Charizard volunteered to teach Chimchar everything he can about being a fire type and Chimchar was eager to learn.

The meeting between Charizard and Lucario was interesting, to say the least. Charizard had rushed to battle Pikachu after his talk with Chimchar. As soon as Pikachu saw Charizard, all hell broke loose. Pikachu shot the mother of all Thunder attacks to Lucario, who dodged it just in the nick of time. As soon as Lucario's feet touched the ground, he was assaulted by Razor Leaf courtesy of Ivysaur and Hydro Pump from Wartortle. Lucario was forced to jump again, only to find Staravia zeroing in on him with an Aerial Ace. He conjured a shield of Aura at the last second and absorbed the blow, used his palm to hit Staravia's back in midair to gain altitude, and turned around to fire an Aura Sphere to counter Turtwig's incoming Energy Ball. As he descended, he was forced to block a succession of Bubbles courtesy of Kingler. Suffice to say, Charizard was no longer looking at Pikachu, but Lucario. Ritchie and Anabel were slack jawed after the performance by Lucario and Pikachu was giving a hi-five to Lita.

It was only with great effort that Ash managed to hold back Charizard from sparring then and there with Lucario. He only convinced him by threatening to not use him in his possible battle against Ritchie if he got hurt in the spar. Charizard made it explicitly clear that he'll be 'sparring' with Lucario after the tournament.

Ash later found out that the moves used by his Pokémon and even the time Lucario got to prepare between them was planned by Latias. She had painstakingly compared Lucario's reaction time and other senses with the speed and power of the attacks and timed them so that Lucario would be able to avoid each and every one of them. The purpose was to make Charizard interested in sparring against Lucario, something all of his Pokémon wanted to see. Suffice to say, Charizard was more than interested.

Ash was broken from his musings when Ritchie and Anabel went off to their Semi-Final match. He and Paul would face Dawn and Conway today. Ash was sure their teamwork would be off after the strain between them concerning Chimchar, but he hoped it'll ware off before the final match. Ash was determined not to say a word to Paul regarding the issue. If he got started, he wasn't sure he could stop himself. He was determined to prove his methods by action.

"Hello, Dawn! Ready for our upset win against the tournament favourites?" asked a decidedly creepy voice.

"C-Conway! You sound optimistic." Dawn greeted her tag team partner.

"Of course. In a tournament such as this, teamwork is the key. That's something we have and they don't." Conway reassured her.

"I suppose." Dawn replied. _Should I tell him about Ash and Paul's battle against Steven Stone and Riley? Nah, I don't want to crush his confidence and dim our chances._

Ash smirked. "I guarantee you that you won't be battling in the finals."

"Why are you so confident? You told us you're not using Lucario, and you need Charizard if you're hoping to battle Ritchie. I believe those are your powerhouses?" Conway asked. Ash just grinned.

The first match of the semi-finals was an easy win for Ritchie and Anabel, who used Zippo (now a Charizard) and Bronzong respectively. Ash and Paul stood facing Dawn and Conway for the semi-final match, as the announcer listed off the rules.

"Slowking, let's win this!" Conway announced.

"Weavile, standby for battle!" Paul ordered.

"Buizel, take the stage!" Dawn called on her water otter.

"Turtwig, show them what you've got!"

The last choice caused everyone to look at Ash weirdly.

"What?" Ash asked defensively.

"This is the semi-final battle. Why are you using a weak Pokémon like that?" Paul asked, irritated.

"To show you that there's no such thing as a weak Pokémon. They may be inexperienced, but that's what trainers are for. Watch us battle!" Ash replied confidently.

"Begin!" The referee declared.

"Buizel, use Sonic Boom!" Dawn ordered.

"Quick Attack to dodge. Then get close to use Brick Break!" Paul ordered. Weavile expertly dodged the Sonic Boom while closing in the distance between them. His hand began to glow in purplish light.

"Slowking, cover Buizel! Use Protect!" Conway ordered. A protective shield formed around Buizel and Slowking.

Paul smirked. "Change of plan. Use Feint, followed by Night Slash!"

Weavile stopped the Hammer Arm and bypassed Slowking's protective barrier. His claws gained a shade of darkness and he slashed at the Psychic type. Slowking flinched as the effective move made contact. Weavile back flipped out of the way to prevent retaliation.

_Now's the time for Turtwig's new move_ Ash thought. "Hidden Power!"

"Slowking, use-" Conway was silenced when he realized that the attack was not meant for Slowking, and it was too early to use Protect again. The Hidden Power nailed a hit on Buizel, resulting in Buizel getting electrified.

"Any guesses on what type Hidden Power is?" Ash asked cheerfully.

"Slowking, Focus Punch on Weavile!" Conway retaliated.

"Block it with Brick Break!" Paul ordered. The Focus Punch and Brick Break collided, pushing both Pokémon back.

"Buizel, use Aqua Jet!" Dawn instructed. Buizel surrounded himself with water and rocketed towards Turtwig.

"Withdraw!" Ash ordered. Turtwig curled itself into a ball, causing Buizel to hit his shell instead.

"Now, Mega Drain!" Ash instructed. Two green wines extended from Turtwig and he began to sap Buizel's energy.

"Slowking, use Psychic on Turtwig!" Conway ordered.

"Weavile, Dark Pulse on Slowking!" Paul ordered. Before Psychic could fully grip Turtwig, Weavile hit Slowking again with an effective attack at close range. Paul didn't let up, however.

"Night Slash again!" he ordered. Weavile closed in the distance and used the dark type move to hopefully finish off Slowking.

"Focus Blast!" Conway commanded. Before Paul could retaliate, Slowking formed an orb of energy and hurled it at Weavile. The super effective attack did its toll and Weavile was forced to a distance. He was very much damaged.

"Blast Buizel with Razor Leaf!" Ash ordered. After draining Buizel significantly, Turtwig used Razor Leaf at close range to send Buizel flying back.

"Buizel, Blizzard!" Dawn instructed. Wartortle had helped Buizel get the grip on that move.

_This is bad. Turtwig can't stand the cold for too long. We'll have to decrease its intensity._ Ash thought. "Use Sunny Day!"

As the field was enveloped in chilling cold courtesy of Blizzard, the intensity of the sun increased, providing Turtwig with some warmth. He wasn't as affected by Blizzard as he should be.

"That's an interesting strategy..." Brock muttered. Lita nodded.

"Weavile, Payback on Slowking!" Paul ordered. Weavile managed to get on his feet and surrounded himself with a dark aura, and rocketed towards Slowking.

"Use Yawn!" Conway ordered. A Bubble escaped from Slowking's mouth and hit Weavile, causing him to fall asleep in the middle of the attack. Conway took advantage of this. "Use Brick Break to send it back!"

Slowking's hand glowed in purplish Aura and he hit Weavile on the face with the super effective attack. Weavile was blasted to the stadium wall, where he succumbed to unconsciousness.

"Solar Beam now!" Ash ordered. Turtwig immediately launched a solar beam at the already exhausted Buizel. Hit by electric and grass type attacks, Buizel too was now out of the fight.

_Looks like its Slowking versus Turtwig now. Wait... what's that_? Ash suddenly became alarmed. "Turtwig, dodge! An attack is coming from the left!" Ash said frantically. Turtwig was unable to dodge in time, however, and a beam of Psychic energy hit Turtwig full force.

"When did you order Future Sight?" Ash asked Conway. He sensed the nature of the attack and guessed what it was.

"Right after I ordered Focus blast. You couldn't hear me in the explosion. But how did you know it was coming?" Conway asked curiously.

"I sensed the Psychic force." Ash replied. Upon seeing Conway's confused expression, he elaborated. "Being an Aura Guardian has its advantages."

"Ash can sense Aura and Psychic energy." Dawn explained. Conway nodded. Another Future Sight would be useless now.

"Use Secret Power!" Conway ordered.

"Protect!" Ash countered immediately. Since Sunny day was in effect, secret power would take the form of a fire type move, which would be bad for Turtwig.

"Rest!" Conway ordered, surprising everyone. _Slowking's taken too much damage. It won't survive Turtwig if this continues for long._

Ash decided to take advantage of the situation. "Sunny Day, followed by Synthesis!"

The sun's brightness increased again, since the last Sunny Day was wearing off. Turtwig regenerated himself while his foe was asleep.

"Now, Solar Beam!" Ash ordered.

"Snore!" Conway countered. Turtwig's Solar Beam missed its mark completely due to the harsh sound generated by Snore, making him lose concentration. Slowking awakened from Rest, looking rejuvenated.

"Well, looks like Ash isn't the only trainer good at strategy." Lita said.

"There are lots of trainers like that, actually. But some of Ash's strategies are just crazy, and they work, too!" Brock replied with a smile.

_Back to square one._ Ash thought in frustration. "Move in closer while using Razor Leaf!"

Turtwig charged towards Slowking with his considerable speed, and launched numerous razor sharp leaves.

"Stop the Razor leaves with Psychic! Then use Secret Power!" Conway retaliated. The barrage of leaves stopped short of reaching Slowking and fell to the ground. He then used the forces of the weather to create balls of Fire type energy and hurled them at Turtwig, who was already close. Turtwig sustained damage from the attack, but Conway wasn't finished.

"Hyper Beam, now!" he ordered. Slowking unleashed a powerful Hyper Beam at close range, causing Turtwig to be blasted away by the impact.

"That Slowking's too strong. Let's see your 'inexperienced but definitely not weak' Pokémon get up after that." Paul said with a glare. _To think that Slowking knows that many moves..._

"Turtwig, you can do it!" Ash encouraged. "I know you're strong!"Ash suddenly felt a peak in the Aura emanated from Turtwig. He had felt that before. Ash smirked. "Let free of that energy, and evolve!" Ash yelled. Paul had a look of disbelief on his face.

"What is he talking about? A Pokémon won't evolve just because-" Conway was silenced by a brightly glowing Turtwig. His glasses slid off his face in shock.

_Pays to be an Aura Guardian. I'm not gonna tell them I knew Turtwig was gonna evolve anyway._ Ash thought smugly. A Grotle stood in Turtwig's place now.

"Grotle, use Razor Leaf!" Ash ordered. Grotle used a barrage of Razor leafs, which hit the target this time. Conway snapped out of the shock.

"Use Focus Blast!" Conway ordered.

"Protect!" Ash countered. Thankfully, Protect worked and Grotle was unharmed.

"Use Leech Seed!" Ash ordered. As soon as Grotle let down the protective barrier, he shot a Leech Seed, which entangled itself around Slowking.

"Get close and use Mega Drain!" Ash ordered.

"Try to escape, Slowking!" Conway said frantically. It was no use, and Slowking continued to struggle. Multiple green vines hit Slowking as Grotle began to drain his energy at an accelerated pace. Its energy being drained by two sources, Slowking collapsed to his knees.

"That's not Mega Drain, that's..." Paul's eyes widened.

"Giga Drain! Alright!" Ash fist-pumped. "Finish him off with Solar Beam!"

The Solar Beam came slower than before, as the Sunny Day's effects had worn off. But Slowking was in no position to struggle, as he was bound and his energy was being sapped. Despite Conway's frantic commands, Slowking was unable to avoid the point blank solar beam, and he finally lost consciousness.

"Slowking is unable to battle. Grotle wins, which means the team advancing to the finals will be that of Ash and Paul!" The referee declared.

Thunderous applause echoed through the stadium. The battle was every bit as intense as a league battle. As for Ash, he resisted an urge to shout out in joy. It was one of the closest matches he'd been in for a while. Grotle was able to take down Buizel and Slowking. Ash couldn't be more proud. Ash felt a lot better at his reply towards Paul's philosophy. Ash was resolved to break the 'strongest Pokémon are the best' attitude that Paul had.

"Grotle did great, didn't he?" Ritchie asked rhetorically. They had joined with Ritchie and Anabel after the match. They congratulated them on a battle well fought.

"Yeah. First he was able to act as support for Weavile, and then he was able to take out both the opposing Pokémon. If this is what Ash does with one of his newer team members, I'd hate to see what he can do with that Charizard." Anabel said.

"We'll find out." Ritchie said. He was confident at his and Anabel's choice for the final round. He was sure that Ash and Paul wouldn't make any such preparation as a team.

Paul was shocked by Ash's upset victory. After Weavile was out for the count, he was sure that the battle was lost. But the Turtwig even managed to evolve and defeat the incredible odds.

They headed to the Pokémon centre to get their Pokémon healed. Paul disappeared somewhere, and they went out to get lunch. Ash and Ritchie traded some of their travel stories, both of theirs full of adventure. Let it be said that Ash beat Ritchie somewhere near ten to one on life threatening dangers, but hey, it can't be helped.

Ash, Paul, Anabel and Ritchie faced off for the final match of the Tag battle tournament, and the crowd was never so thrilled. If Ash had to guess, he'd say the number of spectators had doubled from the quarter final matches. Fortunately, Ash didn't have to guess. He knew his estimate was almost correct due to the concentration of Aura in the place. Lucario could probably tell how many men, woman and children attended it, but that was a whole other level of mastery.

The referee listed the rules as usual and signalled for the battle to begin.

"Charizard, I choose you!" Ash released his strongest fire type in a match for his pride.

"Cruz, let's win this!" Ritchie shouted, hurling a Pokéball. Out of it came a large dinosaur like Pokémon with a green armour-like hide covering its body. It had multiple spikes protruding from the back of its head, neck, shoulders and tail. It was even taller than Charizard, although not by much. An abrupt sandstorm was created when it entered.

"Wh-What is that Pokémon?" Dawn was a bit intimidated by the Pokémon facing Charizard. She looked it up in her Pokédex.

"Tyranitar, the Armour Pokémon. Tyranitar has a heavily armoured body that can withstand powerful attacks. In just one of its mighty hands, it has the power to make the ground shake and mountains crumble." The machine informed them.

"A perfect counter for Charizard, given its rock type nature and amazing endurance." Conway was impressed at the Pseudo-Legendary. Who wouldn't be?

"I had a feeling he'd be using that." Paul said with a smirk. "Torterra, standby for battle!" Apparently, Paul had done his homework again.

"Come on out, my friend!" Anabel released her own choice onto the field. A Metagross now stood by Cruz. It immediately made use of Magnet Rise to levitate. The Sand Storm did not affect Metagross due to its steel typing. The stadium shook with the excitement from the crowd, with two Pseudo-legendaries used side by side. Many began to bet in Ritchie and Anabel's favour.

'Looks like it's you and me again.' Torterra said, eyeing Charizard. Being part ground type, Torterra was unaffected by the sand storm caused by Cruz's Sand Stream ability.

'They're going down!' Charizard said with determination. He ignored the sand storm.

"Well, this'll be one hell of a battle." Brock commented. Lita nodded. Torterra and Charizard have gotten stronger since the last time they fought together, and their opponents were very much strong indeed.

"By the way, Brock, what happened to Holly?" Dawn asked curiously.

"She... left." Brock said, with his head hanging in sorrow. He couldn't believe that a girl that actually liked him back decided that she wasn't good enough a trainer and went off to train.

'Go on you big fire lizard, kick those pseudos back to the Pokéballs they came from!' Pikachu cheered from the stands. A pity only a few could understand him, though.

"Begin!" The referee declared.

Normally, the least experienced trainer attacked first, while the others would be more patient and prefer to watch, attacking at the perfect opportunity. Here, all the trainers had roughly the same experience, so it was a matter of making the first move without being attacked.

"Charizard, ascend!" Ash ordered. The sandstorm would cause problems. He needed to get rid of it.

"Don't let it! Stone Edge!" Ritchie ordered. He reasoned that if Charizard flew up, Cruz would be limited to long range attacks.

"Counter with Razor Leaf!" Paul decided that some aerial support was welcome, as Torterra's mobility was very limited. Torterra's Razor Leafs collided with the stone projectiles hurled at Charizard, thus covering him for takeoff.

"Use Psychic to hold Charizard to the ground!" Anabel ordered. If Charizard took off, Metagross would be forced to follow him. Cruz was better suited to handle Charizard due to type advantage.

Metagross' Psychic hold fell strongly on Charizard, holding him against his will in the ground.

_Best way to counter Psychic,_ Charizard thought, _is to ease all tension and resistance, and then apply force when the psychic hold's strength is reduced_

Charizard relaxed his body completely, allowing the Psychic hold to take him. Metagross miscalculated the amount of power needed to hold Charizard in place, which drastically reduced the strength of the Psychic hold. Charizard immediately exerted its full strength and broke free of the mental hold, and ascended to the air. Charizard had learnt that struggling to break free was not the best way to deal with a Psychic attack after Steven's Metagross had stopped his Flare Blitz in mid air.

"How...?" Ritchie didn't understand how Charizard broke through Psychic like it was nothing.

"Looks like Charizard knows Psychic's secret. Ritchie, I'm leaving Charizard to you. Metagross, Ice Punch on Torterra!" Anabel instructed. They had to move according to plan.

"Cruz, Rock Slide!" Ritchie commanded.

"Torterra, use Sand Tomb." Paul ordered.

"Charizard, break those rocks with Iron Tail!" Ash instructed.

Metagross rocketed towards Torterra with an Ice Punch ready. Unfortunately for Metagross, Paul used the sandstorm to his advantage and trapped Metagross inside a Sand Tomb. Sand Tomb was strengthened due to the sandstorm triggered by Cruz's ability. Metagross was getting damaged inside the sand prison. Cruz hurled large chunks of the ground at Charizard. Charizard had a sudden inspiration and used Iron Tail to redirect the rocks to Metagross instead of breaking them. Metagross, who was basically a sitting duck inside the Sand Tomb, was hit by large chunks of rock along with the damage dealt by Sand Tomb.

"Cruz, stop the sandstorm and use Thunder on Charizard." Ritchie ordered, once it became apparent that sandstorm was only aiding the opposition.

Cruz stopped his ability and calmed the storm. He then shot a bolt of electricity at the flying fire type. Charizard gave a roar of defiance as Thunder hit him. 'Is that your best shot?' he asked.

"Metagross, use Gyro Ball to escape and hit Torterra!" Anabel ordered. Metagross used Gyro Ball to break out of the now weakened sand tomb and headed towards Torterra. Paul remained strangely silent and waited for Metagross to approach. Metagross hit Torterra with its Gyro Ball, and Torterra surprisingly held his ground.

"Charizard, use Fire Blast on Cruz." Ash ordered.

"Earth Power!" Paul shouted.

Charizard's powerful blast of fire hit Cruz, causing scorch marks to appear on his skin.

'Not bad for a fire type' Cruz grunted. Charizard smirked.

Torterra's Earth Power manipulated the ground beneath Metagross, and it erupted. Metagross was pelted with the debris.

"Follow up with Razor leaf!" Paul ordered.

"Metagross, Iron Defence!" Anabel hastily countered. Metagross' already high defence was considerably strengthened by the move, and Razor leaf had almost no effect.

"Cruz, use Dark Pulse!" Ritchie ordered.

"Metagross, Meteor Mash!" Anabel followed.

"Torterra, Frenzy Plant!" Paul knew that anything short of the most powerful grass type move wouldn't be too effective on Metagross.

"Dragon Rage!" Ash shouted.

The Dark Pulse fired by Cruz was cancelled by Charizard's Dragon Rage, and Metagross' Meteor Mash was stopped in its tracks by the Frenzy Plant. Metagross was stuck in the prison of roots created by Torterra.

"Paul, we really need to work together if we want to win. What do you think?" Ash asked.

"I suppose, since Charizard's attacks would be a lot more effective against Metagross and Torterra would have an easier time with that Tyranitar." Paul relented.

"Charizard, Blast Burn on Metagross!" Ash ordered.

Anabel's eyes widened in alarm. "Metagross, break free!" she ordered. But the entangling growth of plants proved to be too much for Metagross to get free, and Blast Burn hit its mark creating a spectacular explosion.

"Drat! Looks like they're working together now." Ritchie commented. "Cruz, use Rock Slide on Charizard!"

Cruz hurled more chunks of the ground at Charizard, who was resting after Blast Burn. Fortunately, Paul covered that angle.

"Use Razor Leaf to cut those rocks!"

Cruz's Rock Slide was destroyed before they reached the target, courtesy of Torterra's Razor Leaf.

"Now Charizard, use Submission on Cruz!" Ash ordered. Charizard immediately rocketed towards Cruz and slammed into him, causing the tyranitar's immense form to collapse onto the ground. Charizard was mildly effected by the recoil, but not remotely as much as Cruz, who let out a roar of pain from the super effective attack.

"Let's put the cry baby to sleep." Paul said with a smirk. "Earthquake!"

"Metagross, try to stop Torterra with Ice Punch!" Anabel ordered, panicking a little. Unfortunately for Cruz, the Earthquake was triggered before Ice Punch could make contact. Cruz was hit by the seismic ripple while it lay flat on the ground, and Charizard escaped it by flying away. Torterra cried out in pain after Ice Punch made contact.

"Charizard, Heat Wave!" Ash ordered, sensing that Cruz wasn't down for the count. Charizard released a wave of heat which hit both Metagross and Cruz.

"You can do it, Cruz! Show them what you're made of!" Ritchie encouraged his fallen friend. Cruz stirred and slowly got up, causing Paul to look at it disbelievingly.

"Payback!" Ritchie ordered.

Ash groaned. Why does every other Pokémon know Payback? It was a lot less fun if used against you. "Charizard, fly out of the way and use Overheat on Cruz!" Ash ordered.

Since Cruz was limited to terrain, he switched targets to Torterra once Charizard flew out of the way, its dark aura making Torterra sweat a little. Even the Overheat from behind did not do much to deter him. If anything, the dark aura only increased.

"Nice going, genius." Paul said sarcastically. "Torterra, Protect!"

"Metagross, Rock Polish!" Anabel ordered. Metagross would need all its speed, as it had taken considerable damage already.

Torterra's protective barrier was shattered by the sheer power of Payback, and he was seriously injured.

"Torterra, Giga Drain!" Paul ordered. Green vines extended from Torterra and they began to sap Cruz's energy, causing Cruz to cry out in pain.

"Ice Fang!" Ritchie ordered. Cruz bit into Torterra, causing him to cry out again.

"Charizard, use Fire Spin on Metagross!" Ash ordered.

"Metagross, dodge it and use Thunderpunch!" Anabel instructed.

"Torterra, use Solarbeam!" Paul ordered.

"Iron Defense!" Ritchie shouted.

Charizard issued a flaming vortex at Metagross, only for Metagross to avoid it and hit Charizard with a Thunderpunch in the gut. Charizard let out an angered roar at being hit by the electric attack. Metagross moved out of the range of immediate retaliation. Torterra's Solarbeam hit Cruz at close range, and pushed him back. Cruz wasn't as damaged as he should be thanks to Iron Defence.

"How can Tyranitar still remain standing? Or Metagross for that matter? They've taken a lot of damage." Dawn wondered.

"Both of those Pokémon are known for their endurance. I suspect it'll take a few more rounds before they're out for the count." Brock replied.

"Have Charizard cover Torterra. He'll need to use Synthesis or he'll be out soon." Paul told Ash.

"Got it. Charizard, defend Torterra!" Ash instructed.

"Torterra, use Sunny Day followed by Synthesis!" Paul followed.

"Cruz, use Stone Edge!" Ritchie ordered.

"Metagross, Hyper Beam!" Anabel commanded.

Sunny Day increased the intensity of the sun, making the field favour fire attacks. The combined attacks headed towards Charizard, who was shielding Torterra. Upon Ash's command, Charizard used Fire Blast which cancelled both the opposing attacks. Now _that_ was an impressive feat.

"Fire type moves are powered up now. We'll have to distract him. Tyranitar, use Water Pulse!" Ritchie shouted.

"Charizard, counter with Dragon Breath!" Ash ordered. Charizard's Dragon Breath cancelled the water pulse, which left him wide open for attacks.

"Now Metagross, Rock Tomb!" Anabel ordered. Metagross hurled several boulders at Charizard, which hit their mark and dealt with a large amount of damage.

"Charizard, fly up!" Ash ordered.

"Launch Solar Beam!" Paul followed.

As soon as Charizard flew out of the way, Torterra launched a powered up Solar Beam which would have hit Cruz if Metagross hadn't intercepted it.

"Tyranitar, Thunderbolt!" Ritchie ordered. Tyranitar immediately let free the electric attack which hit Charizard full force.

"Metagross, Rollout!" Anabel ordered.

"Dodge it, Charizard!" Ash ordered frantically. Charizard tried to move, but was unable to due to electric shock travelling though his body. Charizard was hit by the super effective move consecutively, but he still was unable to move.

"Charizard is paralyzed. Torterra, use Secret Power to stop Metagross!" Paul ordered. Torterra's Secret Power dealt with considerable damage to Metagross, causing it to move off course. Undaunted, Metagross again readied itself for rollout.

"Cruz, use Ice Fang on Torterra again!" Ritchie ordered, hoping to distract Paul long enough to take down Charizard.

"Torterra, Protect!" Paul ordered. Cruz's Ice Fang failed as protect kicked in.

Ash could feel Charizard's paralysis wearing off. This was his chance.

"Dodge and use Flare Blitz!" Ash ordered. Charizard expertly dodged Metagross' Rollout and cloaked himself in fire. Metagross was hit by the powerful fire type move from behind, causing it to crash into the ground. It didn't get up, and the referee signalled that Metagross was not able to continue. The crowd applauded the first decisive turn in the battle.

"Torterra, use Giga drain!" Paul ordered. Green vines wrapped around Cruz, sapping his energy.

"Cruz, try to break free!" Ritchie said desperately. Cruz pressed his feet to the ground and tried to push himself away from Torterra.

Paul smirked. "Let go!" he commanded. Torterra suddenly let go of Cruz, causing him to stumble back.

"Now, Charizard, use Submission again!" Ash ordered. Charizard swooped down and hit Cruz with another Submission, causing him to collapse again. Paul was about to order another Earthquake for good measure, but Ash stopped him. Cruz didn't get up.

"Tyranitar is unable to battle. Thus the winners of the Hearthome City Tag Battle Competition are the team of Ash and Paul!" the referee declared. The declaration was greeted by a tremendous applause. No one expected such a high level battle in the tournament.

Ash and Paul were awarded with a soothe bell each for their accomplishment. Paul tossed his to Ash and walked away, informing him that he didn't need it. Anabel and Ritchie congratulated Ash for their success (since Paul already walked away). They joined up with Dawn, Lita and Brock and went to the Pokémon centre to get their Pokémon healed.

"That was an intense battle. I can still feel my heart pounding." Dawn confessed.

"Yeah, makes me nervous too." Lita admitted.

"Why are you nervous? You're not a Pokémon trainer, right?" Anabel asked. Lita froze momentarily.

"She's just concerned about the Pokémon, that's all." Brock quickly covered up. Lita regained her composure and nodded.

"I understand how you feel. But Pokémon like to grow strong. It's in their blood." Anabel said wisely.

Internally, Lita rolled her eyes. _Believe me, I know._ she thought, though she just nodded in acceptance outside.

"So, Ritchie, which is the Gym you're heading to, since the Hearthome City Gym is closed?" Ash asked his old friend.

"I was thinking of travelling to Veilstone City and challenge the gym there. What about you?" Ritchie asked.

"Me too. Why don't we travel together for a while, then?" Ash asked. He really liked hanging out with Ritchie, their views on Pokémon were the same and Ash felt that Ritchie was like a brother to him, even if he hadn't known him for long.

"Sounds good to me!" Ritchie replied.

_This is the perfect time to as_' Anabel thought. _Here goes... I hope they won't get suspicious._

"Say, since you guys know Sinnoh and its Pokémon, would you mind if I tag along for a bit? I'm on a vacation for about a month, and it'd be nice to have some help... I don't want to impose or anything. I mean, it's alright if you can't..." _God, this is so awkward._ Anabel thought. She felt Ash's gaze on her, a thoughtful expression on his face. Anabel almost blushed.

"Of course you can, Anabel. It'll be great to have you around!" Ash said cheerfully.

"Thank you Ash." Anabel said, now blushing slightly. She still had a crush on him, but it looks like Ash is still as dense as ever. _Hmm... Now that he's empathetic thanks to Aura, I wonder if he can sense what's in my heart._

"Ash, since you have Charizard healed, I think it's time for that spar!" Lita said enthusiastically.

Ritchie blinked. _Where did the compassionate girl go?_ He thought blankly.

"_Why are you so eager to see us fight?_" Lucario asked in an irritated tone.

'Charizard's always gloating about how he's the strongest. Of course, I can give him a run for his money, but I don't have Charizard's endurance. He can fly too, which puts most of us at a disadvantage in terms of mobility. Maybe if you beat him, he'll learn some humility.' Pikachu replied.

"Charizard and humility are two words that should never be put together." Ash said seriously.

"_We'll spar in the evening"_ Lucario told them. Truthfully, he was looking forward to the spar too.

"Hey, Lita, what do you do if you're not a trainer?" Ritchie asked curiously.

"Err... I just like to travel." Lita replied lamely. _How in the world will I train when they join the group? I'll have to wake up extra early. So much for my beauty sleep._

They headed out to a clearing to get some fresh air. The trainers, Dawn and Brock called out their Pokémon. Charizard immediately rounded on Lucario.

'Ready?' he asked. Everyone sweat-dropped. Lita walked in between them.

"As much as I'd love to see you fight, Ash said you'll be sparring later in the evening. So peace!" she said.

_Now she loves to see them fight?_ Anabel was officially confused.

'He said after the tag battle. The tag battle's over. So, Flamethrower!' Charizard yelled and unleashed a vortex of flames at Lucario. Unfortunately, Lita was in the middle. The flames stopped just before it hit her, a blue aura dancing around the edges.

"Are you crazy you overgrown lizard, you could've fried me!" Lita said angrily. She then used Psychic to put out the flames.  
'Oh, Sorry! I forgot you're a helpless little girl.' Charizard said sarcastically.

"_You need to learn discipline._" Lucario told Charizard.

'I don't take orders from a walking jackal!' Charizard retorted.

"You take orders from me! Now stop!" Ash ordered. Miraculously, all three of them shut up.

"Okay, am I the only one who thinks this whole thing is really weird?" Ritchie asked everyone in general.

"You mean the flames stopping in mid-air part?" Anabel asked.

"That, and the whole talking to Pokémon thing." Ritchie replied.

"Oh, that. I can do it too. But I have no idea how Lita avoided getting burned, though. Looked like a Psychic attack." Anabel replied.

Ash, Lita, Charizard and Lucario all had the same thought. _Whoops! Massive screw-up!_

Lita hurriedly explained that she was a Psychic, and that's how she stopped the flames in mid-air. She got a disbelieving look from Anabel. She didn't think a human Psychic was capable of that. But she accepted the explanation anyway. There was that new girl Melinda who, according to Lance, can teleport herself and her Pokémon between Kanto and Sinnoh. Compared to that, this was routine.

"So let me get this straight. Ash, Anabel and Lita can understand Pokémon. Ash is an Aura Guardian. Not just any Aura Guardian, but he's the 'Wielder of the Original Aura', who has a sacred duty to protect the world along with the other Legendary Pokémon while Arceus, who's the God of the Pokémon world, is sleeping. Recently, you met the Legendary Mew whose existence was a myth even to the world's leading researchers, and she made a Prophecy about Ash having to calm down some angry Godlike Pokémon and the Creator of Existence, Arceus Himself. You revived Lucario from a death-like state because Mew asked you to do so, by using Aura. Did I get it right?" Ritchie asked.

"Yup! That's basically the gist of it." Ash confirmed, nodding.

"You're not pulling my leg, are you?" Ritchie asked seriously.

"Nope!"

"Alright. I guess I can go with that." Ritchie replied, causing others to sweat drop.

"I have to admit, this is a little bizarre." Anabel commented. She feigned almost total ignorance on the subject, so that everyone won't get suspicious. She really felt bad for deceiving them.

_I wonder what she's hiding? I'm sure she has her reasons, so I'm not gonna expose her. I can sense she's a good person._ Latias thought. Being a powerful Psychic, she could easily tell that Anabel was hiding something.

_Strange. Anabel is really nervous. She was like this when she asked us to let her join, too. I wonder why?_ Ash thought. Since Ash always used his Aura senses, he could tell the basic emotional states of those around him. Although there were _some_ emotional states that left him in the dark.

Lucario had a similar train of thought to Ash and Lita, and he decided not to pry as he was sure Ash picked it up too and has not acted upon it. All of them could have read Anabel's mind, but doing that was almost a forbidden practice as it's basically invading the other's privacy.

_I wonder why they're staring at me..._ Anabel thought. Thankfully, they soon looked away.

The Pokémon were getting acquainted by the time Ash told Anabel and Ritchie about 'things you need to know so that you won't freak out when something happens'. Ash soon assigned his Pokémon various training regimen. He instructed Ivysaur to help Grotle get adapted to the second evolved form, as he had lost his speed on evolution. Pikachu and Sparky worked on Signal Beam with the goal of expanding their move sets. Ash asked Wartortle to help Chimchar learn Focus Punch and Kingler learn Blizzard. Staravia still needed a lot of work in the speed department to catch up with Ash's other flying Pokémon. Ritchie too, assigned his Pokémon to training. Finally, Ash turned to Lucario and Charizard.

"You two can spar now." Ash said. That was all the encouragement needed. Charizard immediately put in some distance between them and Lucario readied himself in a combat stance.

"Begin!" Lita, the unofficial referee, said.

'Time to feel the heat!' Charizard roared, and he spat out a considerable volume of fire towards Lucario. Charizard would've been furious because Lucario had his eyes closed, but he understood its significance thanks to his battle with Riley's Lucario.

Lucario shot an Aura Sphere that hit the searing Flamethrower in its centre, causing the fire attack to diverge from its target. He then shot forward while dodging the flames that attempted to burn him, and closed in on Charizard in a matter of seconds. He swung his paw with force upward, hoping to crush Charizard's jaw with his Force Palm. Charizard leaned his head back to avoid the blow, and his tail glowed in a metallic color. Charizard swung his tail at a wide arc, hoping to cripple Lucario's leg with Iron Tail. Lucario jumped a little, and kicked the Iron Tail while it was mid-swing to gain further momentum to back flip out of the way. Ritchie whistled in appreciation. That Pokémon definitely knew how to think on his feet.

'Not bad.' Charizard commented. Coming from him, this was like a mountain of praises.

"_You're not too shabby yourself."_ Lucario replied with a smirk. He was enjoying the spar so far. Charizard was the perfect opponent for him in his present predicament.

Now, Lucario decided to take the initiative and fired a Water Pulse at Charizard, which evaporated on contact with another Flamethrower. Charizard lunged forward and attempted to bite Lucario with Fire Fang, but Lucario disappeared from his vision. Having used Extremespeed, Lucario appeared behind Charizard to deliver a crushing Iron Tail on Charizard's back. While not very effective, Charizard definitely felt that. He angrily turned around and presented Lucario with a Fire Blast on his face.

'Score!' Chimchar yelled enthusiastically. Unlike others, he was cheering for Charizard, understandably.

Lucario let out a ring of smoke. "_Hot!_" he declared. Lucario hit the earth and dug up a large rock. 'Catch!' he said, throwing the rock at Charizard. Charizard broke it with Iron tail, but Lucario was nowhere to be seen. Looking at the hole where Lucario once stood, Charizard figured out that Lucario used Dig, and the boulder was just a distraction. The realization came a bit too late, however. Charizard felt that his jaw was dislocated after Lucario emerged from the underground and hit him with a Force palm. Charizard immediately took off to the air, determined not to give Lucario another free hit. He sliced the air with crescent shaped waves, their ultimate target being Lucario. Lucario fired a Dragon Pulse which cancelled the Air Slash. Out of the resulting smoke, two Shadow Balls collided with Charizard, who realized Lucario had sent them after the Dragon Pulse.

_He's good. Time for Plan B! Ash, I owe you one!_ Charizard thought. He expelled a large stream of fire towards Lucario, who skilfully dodged the attack. Charizard didn't stop there, however, and proceeded to burn down the entire makeshift field. Soon, the ground itself became unbearably hot. To Lucario's shock, Charizard was melting the field.

_Why do I get the feeling this isn't one of Charizard's original ideas?_ Lucario thought. _But_ _who am I to complain? It's definitely working –Yowtch!_

Lucario was forced to fire Water Pulses to the ground to keep it cool enough to stand on. Charizard used this opportunity to hit Lucario with more Flamethrowers.

"That's... an incredibly effective strategy." Ritchie commented. He was extremely impressed by Charizard's strategy.

"That's a typical Ash thing to do." Anabel said, looking at Ash with a smile. Ash had a wide smirk upon seeing his old strategy.

_I can't keep this up forever._ Lucario thought. _Time to turn the tables!_

Lucario cooled his immediate vicinity and his eyes glowed as he activated his Psychic abilities. He lifted large chunks of molten earth and threw them at Charizard, who was taken by surprise. Charizard moved out of the way as Lucario continued to barrage Charizard with molten rocks.

"Now that's using the field." Anabel commented.

'Hell yeah! Show him Lucario!' Wartortle cheered.

Charizard was irritated that his strategy was used against him. He fired several Dragon Rage attacks towards the incoming molten earth, and thus destroyed them before they got close. He descended immediately while gathering draconic energy in his claws. As he neared Lucario, he prepared to slash his opponent with the charged up Dragon Claw. Unfortunately for him, Lucario intercepted it with a Metal Claw, thus cancelling the attack. As Charizard was now at close range, Lucario decided to get to his specialty.

Lucario twisted his arm out of the deadlock and jumped up, kicking Charizard on his head for good measure. Then he chopped Charizard on his wings, so that Charizard couldn't get away immediately. He then proceeded to systematically thrash Charizard to the ground, hitting the part where Charizard was most likely to react with next. A blow on the back, a stomp on the tail, a hit on the head... to those who could follow him, Lucario looked like he was dancing all over Charizard. His speed while engaging in Close Combat was incredible. Charizard winced in pain every now and then, but couldn't react otherwise. The time it took was nearly five seconds, and Charizard looked like he was run over by a truck –scratch that, there's no way a truck could hurt him like that.

Lucario landed on the opposing part of the arena, facing Charizard. 'How's that?' he asked, a little smug. Like always, the viewers were awestruck. Charizard shrugged and replied 'Inferno!' and Lucario just had enough time to widen his eyes before he was engulfed in a blast of intense fire.

"Charizard sure reacted fast." Ash said with a sweat-drop.

"I think that's because Charizard must have a lot of experience being beaten up like that at Charicific valley. Cynthia's Garchomp, being who she is, probably never had another Pokémon walk over her like that before." Brock said wisely. Everyone sweat-dropped now.

'Lesson one: Don't gloat. It can get you burned!' Charizard said, raising a finger. The hits still hurt, but his pride hurt more. He was completely out of his league for those five seconds.

'That applies for both sides!' Lucario said from behind Charizard, hitting him with an Aura sphere. Charizard whirled around, only to be hit by Water Pulse on the face.

'Lucario must have used dig to escape when the smoke from the explosion covered him. But to think he was able to recover from Charizard's Inferno that quickly...' Chimchar was very surprised. He had never seen a fire attack of that magnitude before, but Lucario was able to react seconds after that hit him.

'I suppose the pain tolerance comes with experience.' Pikachu said. Ivysaur nodded.

'Charizard will be mad.' Wartortle stated the obvious. This was confirmed by an earth shaking roar. 'Yep, he's mad.'

'Alright. Playtime's over.' Charizard growled. An intense fiery aura surrounded him and he concentrated most of his fire type energy and let it lose. Lucario had to use Detect to avoid getting hit by the deadly Overheat. He closed in on Charizard, and Charizard prepared to defend himself. Lucario stopped short and extracted a boulder from the ground, and hurled it at Charizard. Taken by surprise due to the abrupt change in tactics, Charizard was hit by the Rock Tomb. Lucario followed up with a Dark Pulse while Charizard took to the air. Charizard countered it with a Flamethrower, resulting in a lot of smoke. Lucario grinned at his advantage, and proceeded to use Charizard for target practice –and he had a high accuracy.

'Ouch!' Charizard grunted, as another Dragon Pulse hit him. _Gotta get rid of this smoke._

Charizard expelled a Heat Wave to distract Lucario, and flapped his wings to clear the field. He immediately used Flare Blitz to cloak himself in fire, and rocketed towards Lucario. Lucario saw Charizard, and found that he would be unable to dodge such a large move. Charizard looked like a giant fiery meteor and it was heading straight for him.

Lucario concentrated, reaching into his essence to lend him strength. He used his Aura to form an immensely powerful shield around him. The shield was so strong that Charizard's Flare Blitz was unable to break through it. The blast triggered a shockwave in the surrounding area.

"What was that?" Ritchie exclaimed, upon seeing the blue dome recede. Everyone felt the powers collide. Most Pokémon by now had either become fans of Lucario or Charizard.

"That was a shield made of Aura. It's not a Pokémon move like Protect, though. Its strength depends on the effort he put into it. Judging from the looks of it, Lucario must've used a lot of his Aura to block Flare Blitz." Ash replied. Forcing too much aura to block an attack was exhausting, and not recommended. But Ash doubted if a simple Protect would hold against an attack of this magnitude.

True to Ash's prediction, Lucario was exhausted after the strenuous attack. He was panting heavily. _My stamina is not what it used to be._ Lucario reminded himself. He needed to fix that, too. He sustained a lot of damage from Charizard's moves, but it's not like Charizard was faring any better. Charizard too, was drained beyond normal. He didn't have such a hard fight since the one involving Steven's Metagross. He was not ready to give up, however.

'Take this! Blast Burn!' Charizard roared. He let out an immense amount of fire in that one attack, and the raging firestorm moved towards its destination. Lucario gathered up an equally high amount of energy and released it in the form of a Hyper Beam. The two attacks met at the centre of the field, creating a spectacular explosion.

"That's some power!" Lita exclaimed. The ground shook again as waves of power travelled from the explosion's epicentre.

As the explosion cleared, everyone could see that both Pokémon were quickly reaching their limits. Lucario knew he had to end it in one hit, lest Charizard activate his blaze. He decided to wait for Charizard to attack first.

Charizard closed in on Lucario to finish the battle with one of his favourite moves. Lucario used Detect to evade Charizard's grip and the subsequent Seismic toss, and hit Charizard with a Water Pulse. Deciding that Charizard wasn't finished, Lucario hurled a very large boulder at Charizard, who was unable to dodge it due to the confusing effect of Water Pulse. The boulder crashed into the flying fire type, dealing with some decisive damage. After sustaining that much injuries, Charizard felt himself blacking out. Lucario was left conscious in the field, panting heavily after the exhausting battle.

_That was way too close. The Aura shield took much more out of me than I thought. I'll have to step up my training._ He decided. Lita looked over Charizard and announced that he's unable to battle, trying to make it look official. All the gathered Pokémon and humans cheered upon seeing the great match. Chimchar was sad to see Charizard lose, but his respect for his fellow fire type grew immensely. He realised he still had a long way to go. Lita healed Charizard and then Lucario with a Heal Pulse, and told the dumbfounded Ritchie and Anabel that it's a special ability she had due to her Psychic powers. It worked with a champion, she had no fear of using that excuse now.

'Well, that was fun. Let's do it again! This time, I'll win for sure.' Charizard said. All of Ash's Pokémon face planted. That wasn't the reaction they were expecting at all.

"Maybe another time, Charizard." Ash told his fire type. "Now we should get back to training."

Surprisingly, the Pokémon seemed more eager to train than before, hoping to catch up with Charizard and Lucario. Charizard decided to step up his training as well. He didn't want to be beaten like that again. Thankfully, he took the defeat just as a way to learn. He knew they were essential, as he had faced it several times at the hands of many other Charizard in the valley. He was the strongest now, but he now knew that he needed to be stronger. Lucario decided to test his endurance and stamina by undergoing more rigorous training.

"Charizard sure has improved a lot, and I mean a _lot!_" Ritchie praised. Anabel nodded. They knew now why Lucario fared so well against Garchomp. Ash grinned. He was proud of his Pokémon and resolved once more to become a better trainer for them.

As night approached, he decided to break some news to his team.

"Guys, you've all battled well for the Tag Team tournament and other matches you've been in, and I'm proud of all of you." He said. All the Pokémon cheered.

"But, as you know, I've promised to train all of my Pokémon, and I meant it. So some of you, who've been with me for some time now, have to go to Professor Oak's lab while I bring some of the others here for training." Ash continued. The cheering subsided, and now everyone was paying attention.

"Ivysaur, I want you to go back to the lab for now, along with Grotle. You can help Grotle adapt to his new body structure, and introduce him to our friends there. Don't worry, guys, I'll call you back soon enough." Ash said. The two grass types nodded, understanding Ash's logic.

"Wartortle and Kingler, why don't you guys go back too, for now?" Ash asked. They reluctantly nodded. Wartortle knew his other friends needed a chance to get trained, too, so it wouldn't be fair if he insisted to stay. At least he had Ivysaur and Kingler for company. He was eager to see his old friends again as well. Kingler shared his sentiments, and Ash turned to Staravia.

"Staravia, you don't mind continuing your training with Pidgeot back in the lab, do you? You need to work on speed and flying skills, and Pidgeot's the perfect teacher." Ash suggested. Staravia agreed. Pidgeot could teach her a lot of things and he was eager to learn.

"The rest of you guys can stay here. Lucario needs to teach me more about Aura, Charizard came back only recently and he needs to help Chimchar and Pikachu is ...er... Pikachu" he finished lamely. Thankfully, his Pokémon knew Ash's connection with Pikachu went deeper than anything else, and they completely understood. To them too, the idea of separating them is unthinkable. Latias went unspoken, due to Anabel and Ritchie's presence. But they knew a Legendary Pokémon such as her wouldn't be safe for long, even in Oak Laboratories.

"So Ash is rotating with his Pokémon back in the lab?" Ritchie asked.

"Yeah." Brock nodded. "He recently came to realize he needed to train with all of his Pokémon and can't slack on their training while he's exploring another region."

Ritchie turned to Ash. "Say Ash, you did say Professor Oak's letting you carry ten Pokémon at a time, didn't you?" Ritchie asked.

"Yeah. What about it?" Ash asked. He didn't get where Ritchie was going with this.

"I only see nine. Where's the tenth?" He asked curiously. Ash panicked and Lita gave a start of surprise.

_Ritchie's really observant_ Ash thought. He wanted to keep Latias a secret for as long as possible. Ritchie was a league rival, after all. Even if he didn't want to use her against him, he decided to stay safe. "I usually leave a few slots open to accommodate new Pokémon I catch." He replied nervously.

Ritchie nodded in understanding. That was a good thing to do, as newly caught Pokémon needed to get to know their trainer before transferring them to the lab. Anabel, however, was a little suspicious. Ash looked way too nervous just now.

The trainers recalled their Pokémon and headed back to the Pokémon centre. Ash decided to keep another slot blank, lest he had to catch a new Pokémon. Then, it'd be transported back to the lab and Latias' cover would be blown. He brought back Scyther, Bayleef, Noctowl and Swellow and left the tenth slot blank. Ash decided to work on them the first thing in the morning, and to get back to his Aura training. It was in a hiatus due to the tournament, but now, the pain would resume.

_Why me?_ Ash thought, whimpering.

_Why not? _The musical, feminine voice of Mew sounded in his mind. Ash knew that this was not his imagination. _Figures... _

**Post A/N:**

And that wraps up another Chapter. So, see you guys at March? XD

I highly recommend the fanfics by my Beta, Shaydrall. His Pokémon fic is called 'The Infinity League ' and its one of the best stories I've read in Pokémon fan fiction.

The cover picture was made by author Deoxys, author of Ash Ketchum From Pallet Town. Check it out, it's a very good fic based on the Sinnoh plotline.

To anyone who wants to know, I update my chapter status in my profile often. Check it out!

As always, do review! They really help me write! Add your criticism and opinion on the battles as well! Tell me what you think of the changes too!


	15. Plans?

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. The characters and other elements of this story are the copyrighted property of Pokémon or its affiliates and licensors. This fan fiction is purely for enjoyment and no desire of profit comes out of it.**

**Author's Note:**

I'm very, very sorry for the delay! We had some... technical difficulties.

Honestly, if it wasn't for the positive responses from the reviewers, this fic might have stopped or would've been put in a long hiatus. I'm that busy. Do include criticism in the reviews as well. They'll help me improve as a writer.

**Note: Please reread chapter 7, it has been subjected to a good edit plotwise, especially the legend of the original one.**

**Chapter 15**

**Plans?**

At the heart of the Johto region is a small town named Silver Town. With its meager populace, the town wouldn't garner the attention of the world at large, except for one reason. This town is where best trainers in Johto gather to test their worth in the prestigious Silver Conference, the Pokémon championship competition of Johto. As such, this town also hosts the regional office of the Pokémon League, a meeting point for several officials during league season in Johto.

To the north of this small town lies the majestic Mount Silver, populated by a large variety of Pokémon, both common and uncommon. Due to the dangers presented by the wild Pokémon, Mount Silver is off limits to all but the most skilled of trainers. But after exploring the mountain area, the trainers who do have the privilege to enter find that the path towards the peak is blocked by boulders or other natural obstructions. The only route not blocked leads to the Pokémon preserve, where Pokémon are allowed to wander freely in the wild without the fear of humanity. Pokémon rangers have set up a camp in the area to prevent trainers from going any further.

Naturally, a region with such an abundance of wild Pokémon would attract the attention of many unsavoury individuals. Poachers, who make a living of imprisoning rare Pokémon and selling them to the highest bidder, tend to resort to extreme measures to gain access to the preserve. Some including sabotaging the Rangers base, or disabling them from acting.

Of course, Poachers who _did_ manage to reach the preserve would find themselves having very, very bad luck. They didn't know that well hidden inside the caves of Mount Silver was the headquarters of the single largest Pokémon crime fighting organization in all of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh.

Yes, Mount Silver was the headquarters for the Pokémon G-Men.

Headed by the champions of various regions and some strong trainers, this organization was formed by the Pokémon League to put an end to the minor and major crimes committed towards Pokémon. Unlike Rangers, the Pokémon G-Men were not strictly trained, and they were involved in stopping the crimes committed _using_ Pokémon as well. Each of its members were handpicked trainers with adequate experience and who had shown to care for the well being of Pokémon. Several gym leaders and frontier brains worked for this organization, thus contributing in their own way to the safety of Pokémon and the world that they live. Occasionally, travelling trainers were also given the privilege to be field agents for this organization, given that they had won at least one league competition.

Unofficially heading this organization is the most experienced Champion in the four regions, Lance Blackthorn. He dedicates a large share of his time for the Pokémon G-Men, being the one to convince the Pokémon league to start this organization a little less than three years ago. Lance himself was probably the only member of this organization known to the outside world, as he could afford to be known. He was so good with disguising himself for undercover operations that he didn't need to keep his involvement in the organization a secret. Thus he was the media spokesperson of the group, as well as the one who handled most of the administrative work.

One must remember that all this comes after the workload of being the champion of not one, but two regions.

"Sometimes, I just want to roll over and die." Lance said tiredly, slouching back in his seat at his office in the G-Men headquarters. He rubbed his temples in a vain attempt to alleviate the headache that had deemed fit to grace him. The computer in front of him showed an email, or more accurately a permission letter. A print of the said letter lay in his table, stamped by the order of the court, the government, and his superiors. The effort he took to get that paper was what resulted in his current state. Signs of overwork could be seen by just glancing at the champion. Dark rings around the eyes? Check. Disarrayed hair and clothing? Check. Cup of coffee at arm's length? Check.

As Lance's eyes began to close, he thankfully welcomed the blissful respite that was sleep. But alas, it was not to be, as the intercom, somehow looking like a snickering monster to Lance's sleep deprived eyes, gave a beep. Lance groaned. Perfect. Visitors –or more accurately, some members of the G-Men, as the beep indicated. Just what he needed after forty eight hours of work.

The double door to his office slid open as Lance gave permission for his visitors to enter. Two women- scratch that, a woman and a girl entered the room. The older of the two had dark green hair and blue eyes, and wore a red dress. The younger one had pink hair and baby blue eyes, wearing a matching pink and white dress.

For a moment, Lance struggled to make out who was taller. This would have been a simple matter, if it wasn't for the fact that their feet were _not_ touching the ground. It was easy to see that a silent competition seemed to have sprouted among them, because the younger was clearly shorter –if they were both having their feet at the ground, that is.

"You know, if you two keep this up, you'll probably hit the ceiling." Lance commented, raising a single eyebrow. Two *thud*s were heard, with the younger releasing her levitation perhaps a millisecond later than the older female. Lance had no way of knowing this, but the smug grin from the pink haired girl and the minor eye twitch developed by the other gave him a pretty good idea.

"Sabrina, reporting for duty." The older of the two said in a serious monotone.

"Hi Lance!" The younger girl squeaked, waving.

"Good morning Sabrina, Melinda. Take a seat." Lance motioned them to the seats in front of his table, suppressing a grin at Melinda's antics. Sabrina did not fail to notice this, and the slightest of frowns marred her face. Even without having Psychic abilities like the trainers seated before him, Lance knew it accused him of encouraging her. Lance ignored this in favour of sipping some more of his sleep-killer ...er... coffee... and slouching back in his seat once again.

"Thank you for coming." Lance drawled out, suppressing a yawn. "I hope you both know why you're here?" By this point, the yawn made itself clear. Lance coughed embarrassedly at the amusement evident in his visitors.

Sabrina gave a curt, businesslike nod to answer Lance's question. Melinda on the other hand...

"Nope!"

Lance frowned. "Didn't I explain it in the missive?"

Melinda blinked. "...missive?"

Lance resisted an urge to slam his head in his table. "You know, the letter I sent you. It was to be delivered to your address in Cameran castle."

Melinda sweated a little internally at the mention of her 'address'. "Ah, it must have missed me." _I really hope Lady Ilene wouldn't return that letter. I'll have to make another address if that happens._

Lance looked at the younger girl disbelievingly. "Then why are you here? How did you know I needed to see you?"

Melinda's response was instantaneous. "Because I'm a psychic!" She said with an ear splitting grin. Truthfully, she had just wandered to the office yesterday since she had nothing better to do. She had met Sabrina, who seemed to be expecting her for some assignment Lance had for them today. When she met her today, she just followed the gym leader to Lance's office.

Sabrina wasn't the only one with an eye twitch now.

After a moment of silence, Lance let out a defeated sigh. "Fine. I'll explain it again. We had captured some grunts from Team Galactic more than two months ago in Oreburgh city. You also helped to capture another near Eterna City, when they tried to steal the Adamant Orb. As per the procedure, we handed them over to the police for interrogation. So far, they have been unsuccessful in extracting any useful info from them. They have, however, managed to narrow down the interrogation to the guy who you captured. Apparently, the grunts consider him some sort of a leader. So we will now call him the head grunt, for lack of a better name."

Seeing the girl nod, Lance continued. "We desperately need information on Team Galactic, as their members and motives are still unknown to us. The police and the G-Men have agreed to resort to more... unconventional means of obtaining it. Now usually, something like this would be out of the question, but as the fate of the world could be hanging in the balance, we have no choice in the matter. After about a month of arguing with the police chief, the league, the court and whatnot, we have finally obtained permission to launch a Psychic investigation on the head grunt." Lance waved a paper with some official looking seals, and handed it over to Sabrina. He was, however, rewarded with a blank stare from Melinda.

Rubbing his temples, Lance elaborated. "That means I want you two to use your psychic powers to get answers from the head grunt." Lance elaborated. _Honestly. What gives?_

"...You mean all we have to do is read their minds?" Melinda asked, blinking.

Sabrina, who had been quiet until now, nodded hesitantly. "I wouldn't exactly call it mind reading... but you know what to do, right?" she asked. If not done correctly, it could be dangerous to the person involved. Sabrina was fairly confident in her abilities, but Melinda was an unknown to her.

"Sure!" Melinda chirped. She looked at Lance and frowned, a slight look of concentration on his face. "Lance is thinking of a way to get us the hell out of here ASAP so that he can take a nap until the next appointment." She turned to Sabrina and grinned brightly. "This is what we have to do with that guy, right?"

Lance sputtered indignantly at the sheer nerve shown by Melinda. He turned an interesting shade of red in embarrassment. "Don't read my mind like that!" He all but snapped. Honestly, psychics these days had no sense of mental privacy. Looking at the gym leader, Lance could've sworn he saw a ghost of a smirk from Sabrina. He groaned internally. _I really need to get some sleep. I'm starting to see things._

"Alright Lance. We will delay you no further from your power nap. And please don't overwork yourself." Sabrina said, amusement evident in her voice. Rising, she turned to the younger girl. "Follow me, I know where the grunt is held." Melinda nodded and followed Sabrina outside, actually walking this time.

Lance shook his head. He just managed to lose all form of dignity as the Champion of Kanto and Johto in front of their newest recruit. Not that Melinda seemed to care, which was surprising. Then again, maybe it wasn't so surprising given it was Melinda.

Lance contemplated his decision. He was both excited and nervous as to what news the Psychics would bring him. Sabrina and Melinda -those two would make a fearsome team. Another reason he assigned Sabrina with Melinda was because he was hoping some of Melinda's infectiously cheerful persona would be transferred to the socially awkward gym leader. That, and most of his other operatives were too scared to go anywhere near her. Sabrina's old 'doll collection' still struck fear in those who knew her back then. Sure, she changed for the better, but she still creeped out most people.

The problem was that Sabrina didn't know how to make friends.

Lance hoped that her time with Melinda would help the Psychic type gym leader to open up. Lance learned a lot about Melinda's personality after the five minute interview he had given her before joining. He could say she was the polar opposite of Sabrina. Infectiously cheerful, seemingly not affected by anything, naive, but wise beyond her years all the same. Honestly, some of the answers he received stunned him. Even he wouldn't think that deep. She was definitely some kind of a super genius. He didn't dare to give her an IQ test. Almost all good psychics had IQs in a range beyond what was measurable by a computer. Overall, Lance was very lucky to get such a competent operative. She was willing to work any amount of time as well, which was something rare amongst the G-Men.

As Lance stretched and put himself at ease to begin his nap, his intercom gave out a sound of static that sounded like death toll to Lance's ears.

"Sir, Agent Looker from Interpol is here to see you." The businesslike voice of one of his few actual employees sounded through the device. Cursing the guy who invented intercom, Lance gave a resigned sigh. Slamming his head in the table and weeping a little at his own misfortune, he gave his reply.

"Tell him to come in." He whimpered.

* * *

The two strongest psychics of the Pokémon G-Men made their way to the elevator inside the base. Occasionally, a few agents passed by, grinning and waving at Melinda's enthusiastic greeting and giving a nervous smile to Sabrina. It didn't help that the Psychic Gym Leader kept a stoic expression, giving them the barest nods of acknowledgement. Soon, they reached the elevator that would take them to the room where the grunt was being held. It was hard to believe that this place was so large inside what looked like a non-descript cave entrance.

Sabrina eyed the newest recruit analytically. She was very much impressed with the stunt Melinda pulled with Lance. She 'read' his mind as quickly as she, the strongest Psychic in the world, could. She had only been introduced to Melinda yesterday, and already Sabrina had decided that this girl would be a pain in the neck. But perhaps she had been a little hasty in that assessment. She was overly curious, naive, and often said the dumbest things. Honestly, how could she live to be her age (which Sabrina assumed to be near seventeen) without knowing how to operate an elevator? Sabrina preferred silence; she just didn't see the point of wasting one's energy talking unnecessarily. For all her supposed intelligence, it looked like her new partner for this mission seems to have the opposite idea. And Sabrina could feel something about her that was... odd.

"Why are you masking your psychic presence?" Sabrina broke Melinda's animated monologue with a question that was bothering her for some time. Truthfully, she had no idea how something like that could be accomplished. She was considered the greatest psychic of this era, and yet this girl seems to be capable of things Sabrina could only dream about. She nearly hyperventilated when Lance told her that Melinda had teleported a freakin' Regice all the way from Kanto to Sinnoh. She had arrived at the conclusion that such a feat was impossible, and that the girl was lying about the location of Regice, possibly to protect the legendary Pokémon. Lance had come to something of the same conclusion. Ignorant as he was on Psychic abilities, it didn't take a genius to figure out that something like what Melinda had claimed was impossible. In all her years, Sabrina was yet to see a Pokémon -let alone a human who could do that.

But after spending less than a minute with her, Sabrina immediately sensed something was wrong. Psychics associated the psychic power someone has with something called psychic presence. A psychic can measure another's presence to find out a lot about the other. Sabrina wanted to gauge the extent of Melinda's powers, but she found that for some odd reason, she couldn't. Whatever presence that Melinda had didn't feel quite right.

"You'd faint if I didn't." Melinda replied absently, and continued on with... whatever she was talking about.

Sabrina would've been annoyed at the seemingly arrogant remark, if it wasn't for the fact that she couldn't detect a trace of a lie in that statement, and that was something that bothered her to no end. _Cause me to faint? Unlikely! But just who –what- is this girl?_

Melinda was relieved that Sabrina didn't further question her statement. Truthfully, she hadn't expected the human psychic to pick up on the fact that she was shielding her presence. Not even the Aura Guardian, Riley, detected that. Sir Aaron's Lucario did detect it, but she would've thought it was beyond human capability –well, Sir Aaron may have detected it too, but come on, that's _Sir Aaron_. The Wielder of the Original Aura, full stop. And Ash was nowhere near Riley's level, let alone Sir Aaron's, as an Aura Guardian. If she had to guess, she'd say that Riley was the best in this generation. _For now_, Melinda thought with a grin. She always shielded her presence when around humans or Pokémon sensitive to it. Only Latias had an idea of how powerful her presence was in Ash's group.

Presently, they arrived at a well guarded room at the basement of the facility. After punching in their ID cards (Sabrina patiently explained to Melinda what they were) they entered the room were the Team Galactic member was situated.

"Well, well well! What do we have here? When they told me I'll be interrogated by experts, this certainly wasn't what I expected." A sneering voice welcomed them as the doors shut behind the duo. "Not that I have any complains, though." The voice, now identified as a man, said with a dirty laugh.

The man was quite young, twenty five if they had to guess. He had black hair and brown eyes, something Melinda blinked at. It seems that the Team Galactic grunts all wore some sort of makeup, making them look the same. And here she thought they were all part of a very large family. With two months of being in custody, the grunt's makeup had all but washed away, revealing what they saw before them. He was a large man, something you'd expect a school bully to look like –except this guy wasn't school age at all, but the appearance was very well intimidating. To most people that is. Sabrina, and especially Melinda, weren't most people.

Sabrina walked ahead, her face a perfect mask for emotions. She took a seat opposite to the prisoner, and motioned Melinda to sit beside her. Sabrina produced a notepad and a pen and handed it to Melinda. "I'll ask the questions, you write down the answers. Is that okay with you?" Sabrina told her.

"Yeah... but write them down?" Melinda asked with slight nervousness in her voice. She nodded hesitantly, and began examining the pen in the finest detail. She began to draw a line, but nothing came out.

Sweat dropping, Sabrina opened the pen and wrote her name on the notepad, followed by Melinda's name. "You hold it like this." She showed the girl how to... hold a pen.

Laughter erupted from the prisoner in front of them. "Seriously, expert? Don't know how to use a pen? Too smart to write anything down?"

"Well, I'm not the one arrested and in custody. So I guess I'm at least smarter than you." Melinda retorted. That shut the grunt up. He was painfully reminded of the fact that this girl was present on the day of his capture, when he had, according to him, fallen out of the helicopter. He still couldn't understand how that happened for the life of him.

Sabrina hid a smile. "Alright, let's cut to the chase. You have been largely uncooperative towards the investigation, not even disclosing your name to the interrogators. The others insist that you're the one who knows most about what's going on, so we won't leave you alone until you give us what we want. Now, give us your name, age, and your position in Team Galactic."

The grunt raised an eyebrow. "You'll have to be a lot more... persuasive than that."

Something about the way he said persuasive made Sabrina boil in anger. Forcing herself to calm down, Sabrina closed her eyes. "Did you get that, Melinda?"

"Yup! Tony Stoutland, age 24, hometown Veilstone City. Joined Team Galactic at the age of twenty for the lack of a better option. Since he's not the most gifted of trainers, he's still a grunt, albeit one of the senior most." Melinda's cheerful voice answered. Sabrina could hear the sound of the pen hitting the paper multiple times at high speeds. For someone who just learned to hold a pen, she sure was writing fast.

The now identified Tony gave a cry of disbelief and indignation. "What the- how the hell did you know that?"

Sabrina allowed herself to smile. "We're the experts, remember?"

"Bu- But..." Tony stuttered. He began to sweat slightly. _They're good. But how in the world...?_

Sabrina eyed the grunt's reaction carefully. _Good. He's starting to panic. The more he panics, the easier it is to get the info we need. _"Now, what is the approximate manpower of Team Galactic?" She asked with a predatory smile. She kind of enjoyed this.

The grunt clamped his mouth shut in an act of defiance. Sabrina turned to Melinda once again, checking if the girl also picked up what was inside the grunt's mind.

"More than two hundred grunts under four commanders." Melinda looked at the grunt as the statement caused more thoughts to pop up at the prisoner's mind. "The names of the commanders are Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, and Charon. Charon is also their chief scientist."

Sabrina grimaced. "Codenames. That's not very useful." She turned back to the grunt, who was sweating bullets now. _There's no way, absolutely no way they could know all that. If they did know all that beforehand, they wouldn't interrogate me with those questions for over a month! _He thought.

"How in the world are you doing that?" The grunt asked, panic creeping into his voice. "It's like you're reading... my..."

"Mind?" Sabrina supplied, her smile becoming even more predator like.

The grunt paled considerably, as realization dawned on him. _Psychics? Well, Shit._

Sabrina and Melinda gave identical grins. This only caused the grunt to pale further. "Who is your boss?"

The grunt started to tremble. _Crap! Cyrus doesn't have a codename!_

"Cyrus Akagi!" Melinda said delightedly, scribbling it down. The grunt cursed loudly. Sabrina, however, paled. She recognized that name. That was a businessman in Sinnoh, and a very rich one at that. She had heard the Sinnoh Champion mention him before. That means Cynthia knew him. That can't be good.

"You can't use this as evidence!" The grunt shouted desperately.

"Maybe, maybe not." Replied the psychic gym leader in a monotone voice, devoid of any emotions. This was a psychological game, after all. They needed the grunt to panic.

"You can't, damnit!" Tony shook his head forcefully in denial. "I'll claim you just made that stuff up! That isn't enough evidence!"

Sabrina kept her neutral expression, but inside she was doing a mini-victory dance. As the grunt lost his cool, he's going to blabber more. Sure, what they got from this psychic inquest cannot be used as evidence, but what Tony didn't know was that everything was being recorded. The grunt's lack of denial of Cyrus' involvement and his attempts to protect him could be used as evidence. Not a conclusive evidence, but evidence nonetheless. Melinda writing everything down was just a ruse.

Sabrina snuck a glance at Melinda's notepad. She sweat dropped at what Melinda was writing down –drawing? If she didn't know better, Sabrina would've thought that this was some sort of archaic language. Melinda was scribbling some sort of runes or patterns into the paper, a language Sabrina couldn't understand for the life of her. She was confident in her knowledge of languages, so she guessed that the girl was doing some idle drawing. Maybe Melinda had figured out that this was a ruse.

What Sabrina didn't know, however, was that Melinda _was_, in fact, scribbling down an archaic language. It wasn't her fault she didn't know how to write English, damnit! Talk it, sure, but that she learned from Latias. Telepathy wasn't English, no matter what others felt about it. It was a language on its own, one that everyone can understand. Telepathy is the highest form of language, the language of the mind. This was the only human script she had learnt. Granted, she learnt it a few thousand years ago at one of the earliest civilizations back when she had decided to take a tour of the world, but she prayed that the script wasn't too foreign at this time. That would be embarrassing.

Sabrina turned back to the grunt and started staring him down. _This is it. The million dollar question. _

"What are Team Galactic's objectives?"

The grunt whimpered. How was he supposed to resist this? As much as he tried to lock out his recollection, his memories got all the more sharper.

* * *

A man nearing his thirties stood in the middle of a meeting hall. He had blue hair and blue eyes. The members of his new organization stood in attention surrounding him. He will tell them what he wants to achieve. There must be some that agree with him. If there weren't, he didn't care. All of them were meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

"Fellow members of Team Galactic! Hear me! My name, as I appear to you today, is Cyrus. This world of ours is a crude one. In a word, it is incomplete. It has been, and always will be, a struggle to survive in this world. We humans and Pokémon are likewise incomplete. Because we are all so lacking, we fight, we maim... It is ugly."

"I hate the incompleteness. That we are all incomplete, I hate it with my entire body and being. The world should be complete. The world must change. Then, who will change it? Me, Cyrus. And Team Galactic. Yes, all of you. Together, we will uncover myths and expose the secrets that made this world. Together we will capture the legendary Pokémon, who created this world! Then, Team Galactic will obtain the energy to change the world! The power of dreams will be in our grasp! Understand it, fellow members!"

A few snickered at the man's declaration, obviously deciding that their new boss was insane. But he was rich, irrespective of their mental state. Easy money is a banner which attracts many. Too bad they weren't the brightest of the bunch. Cyrus kept a neutral facade at the snickers. He would not be affected by petty emotions such as anger. He turned to his earliest recruits, the four commanders and motioned them to follow him. As they left the room, the ones who hadn't laughed joined the others and the room broke into hysteric laughter.

* * *

Sabrina gasped as the last of Tony's memories faded. As they had suspected from Mew's prophecy, these people were after the Legendary Pokémon that shaped Sinnoh. And it seems their intentions are anything but pure. They intended to create another world. As crazy as that sounded, Sabrina dreaded the possibility of that becoming a reality. The mere fact that Mew had deemed their actions a threat to legendary Pokémon and deemed fit to warn humans was enough to convince her. These people were not joking around, or at least their leader wasn't. While she had no idea how they would realize their goals, she found that it was imperative that they stop this madness. This man, Cyrus, is quite clearly insane. A genius, perhaps, but very much insane.

Melinda was in a world of shock after the memories of Tony exited her mind. Contrary to what people would assume, she didn't know this was what the villainous gang had planned. She thought back to when Celebi had visited her a few months ago. As a Pokémon capable of travelling through time, she had to adhere to strict rules so that the world wouldn't end up being destroyed. Hence she never spoke of the future. But in her latest visit, Mew received a warning from the green fairy.

"_The world will need His power soon._"

That was all the warning that Mew received from the voice of the forest. That was all the warning Mew _needed_. Her Psychic powers enabled her to make calculations that would be impossible for a normal mind. Soon, Mew had a vague idea of exactly how this world would be threatened. She also knew that Arceus would awaken soon enough, if any battle involving all three of the creation trio occurred. Given what happened in Michina all those centuries ago, Mew was positive he wouldn't exactly be his usual benevolent self. Thus she was able to compose an adequate warning to the Wielder of the Original Aura. The one she, Ho-Oh and Lugia had selected to carry the great burden about four years ago, when the boy began his journey.

The fact that these humans were so close to realizing the truth of the world's creation alarmed her considerably. The most painful fact being that they didn't realize the entire truth. The legend itself was only known to a select few individuals. Records of the legend had faded to obscurity centuries ago, and only the humans that gained the trust of Pokémon –the aura guardians –knew the legend in full, and they were sworn to secrecy among their order. Only recently had she permitted the current head of the order, Riley, to reveal the legend to his most trusted friends, the G-Men. Riley had told Ash before that, but that was because he was positive Ash was the wielder of the Original Aura. Mew was sure it wouldn't leak in that manner. So these people –Team Galactic –managed to find enough about the legend to target the creation trio. .bad.

They're threatening this reality. They're ignorant of the consequences. When she first stopped them from stealing the Adamant Orb in Eterna City, she had thought that they didn't fully grasp its significance. That they were just petty thieves. But now, it seems their leader did indeed know what to do, even if the grunts didn't. His words proved it.

_Without Arceus to stabilize it, whatever new word-or dimension- this man makes is bound to collapse. The creation and collapse of another dimension inside this one will create a void in reality, which will ultimately cause this dimension to collapse in itself. They will destroy this world and everything in it. This reality will be destroyed. Every life, every Pokémon whom I am the ancestor of, will cease to exist. _

Mew was finding it difficult to breathe. They're going to destroy existence! As the mother of life, that was probably the most painful thing that could happen to her. She had a good mind to go and put a stop to the operations of Team Galactic, but caution stopped her. Once, the humans had succeeded in severely weakening Arceus, who was much stronger than her. Granted, he wasn't complete at that time, but still, she had to be cautious. If, by some means, the humans captured her and found a way to control her, then she might as well kiss this world goodbye. Her power in human hands can cause unimaginable destruction. Not a single guardian legendary apart from the creation trio together or Arceus himself would be able to stop her.

Sabrina looked at the strangely silent Melinda, only to find a vacant expression on her face. She and Tony looked on curiously as shock began to settle on her face. Now, Melinda looked like she had trouble breathing. Perhaps she had come to the same conclusion as her. Sabrina moved forward to comfort the girl, she looked so scared and vulnerable. But she froze as she reached near her, hand extended.

An unfathomable presence made itself known. Sabrina stopped breathing as its enormity shocked her to the core. It looked like even the Psychically talentless grunt picked it up, as she could hear him trembling in the chair. _This is inhuman! What is this... Godly presence? This cannot be Melinda... If it is, she is not human..._

Sabrina dropped in a dead faint as the moment of insecurity caused Mew to drop her shield involuntarily. She had unconsciously projected a small portion of her power to the vicinity as well.

The sound of a body hitting the floor snapped Melinda back to reality. Belatedly, she realized her mistake and raised the shield shrouding her abilities. She saw, to her dismay, that both Sabrina _and the prisoner_ had fainted. _I must really have lost control. Something must be done, and soon. But first, I'll wake up Sabrina. I need to leave as soon as possible._

After exiting the confinement, Melinda used her Psychic powers to teleport them into the women's dormitory. She placed Sabrina in a couch and let her powers heal and relax the girl. Slowly, Sabrina's eyes opened. Her gaze remained unfocused for a second before it sharpened.

"Who are you?" Sabrina whispered. She was still at awe at what she had felt.

_It was too much to hope that she'd forget. _Melinda thought with a slight smile. "Rest for now. Be prepared, and don't lose hope. We, the guardians of this world, are with you." With that, Melinda rose. As an afterthought, she added. "Oh, and don't tell Lance about me for the time being. Warn him about our findings, though." And with that, she vanished.

Sabrina's mind processed what she had been told. She had the privilege to hear the Legend of the Original One from Lance. _This world has thirty three guardians, from what I understand. She admitted that she was a guardian. The only human guardian is Ash. Thus she is a Legendary Pokémon, who can shape shift as a human. In the name of all that's holy, that was Mew!_

With this realization, Sabrina fainted the second time that day.

* * *

Mew reappeared far away from Johto, in the place that had become her home over the years. She immediately went to the central chamber of the Tree of Beginning, where the guardian golems stood.

"_Greetings, my minions!_"

Regice, Regirock and Registeel let out some sound of annoyance.

"_We're not your minions, Lady Mew!_" Their telepathy relayed their frustration loud and clear. Even when frustrated, they wouldn't call her anything but Lady Mew. Though these three ancient beings were almost as old as her, they had high respect for her. Arceus is asleep, and she is the second in command of the impromptu command line.

"_Pack up, boys! We're leaving for a little family reunion._" Mew told them, in a slightly more serious tone. That was enough to get the legendaries' full attention. Mew and seriousness were things that rarely came together, and when it did, you can be sure that something _extremely_ bad had occurred. Why, the last time this had happened was when Arceus fell into perilous danger from the humans and went on to rest in his dimension. That was a long time ago, and the Regis clearly remembered Mew's definition of a family reunion that had occurred back then.

_Hmm... Better cal him too. _Mew thought.

"_Mewtwo! I need your assistance!" _Mew relayed a telepathic message to the Pokémon she had come to view as a younger brother. Immediately, a humanoid Pokémon with catlike features materialized near her. He had a greyish-purple body with a purple underside and a long, purple tail.

"_What is it that you need?" _Mewtwo asked in a serious tone. Mew rarely called him for help. She usually called him to play –something he was not interested in.

"_All business as usual." _Mew said, pouting._ "Aren't you just glad to see me? You don't visit me nowadays." _

"_I have to take care of the cloned Pokémon, they're my responsibility after all. Besides, I come to visit almost every month." _Mewtwo protested.

"_That's not often enough!_" Mew insisted. The Regis were just not fast enough to play tag with her.

Mewtwo sighed. "_I'm assuming it must be something important that you wanted to tell me?_" He was very much curious as to what Mew needed his help for.

Mew seemed to look a lot more serious all of a sudden. A sense of foreboding came over Mewtwo. _Is it that bad?_

"_It is a serious matter. But it'll take time to explain. I'll share my memories with you._" Mew said. She closed her eyes and projected all of her recent memories and the findings at the Pokémon G-Men base. Mewtwo grasped the significance of the matter immediately, and his face darkened.

"_Humans are vile creatures._" Mewtwo spat. "_They would destroy this world if given the power. I do not understand why you continue to be so patient with them._"

Mew sighed. Even his adventures with Ash weren't enough to convince Mewtwo, it seems. Ash is the only human Mewtwo trusts, and he considers the boy an exception, along with his friends. "_How many times have we had this conversation, Mewtwo? Every coin has two sides, so does humanity. Do not judge them by the actions of few. Humans are as capable of good as they are evil. Even Pokémon are not exempt from this rule. The people in this organization, the G-Men as they call themselves, are pure hearted and strives for the welfare of Pokémon. The world is full of opposing forces, they preserve its balance."_

Mewtwo couldn't argue with that logic. It was almost impossible for him to win an argument against Mew, she was far wiser –and older than him. But he still wouldn't trust any human apart from the select few who had proved themselves in his eyes.

"_Which brings us to the question, what in the world were you thinking disguising yourself and joining a human organization? Forgive me for questioning your judgement, Mew, but you could've been discovered! You've even revealed yourself to some of them. I hope you'd think twice before doing something risky like that in the future!" _Mewtwo told his counterpart.

"_I see no risk in revealing myself to humans with no ill intentions. I view humans and Pokémon equally._" Mew replied.

Mewtwo sighed. "_Alright. This matter is indeed extremely serious. I take it you want me to help you stop them?_"

"_No, Mewtwo. We will not charge into the unknown._ _We can remain cautious, but revealing ourselves to them may be disastrous. We do not know what weapons or technology they have. We will remain vigilant and cautious, and investigate the crisis in full. For now, I have decided to call a meeting."_

Mewtwo was unnerved at the seriousness Mew displayed. He was well reminded how ancient and wise Mew is and that she's one of the strongest legendaries for a reason. "_What meeting do you have in mind?_"

Mew motioned at the three Regis. "_A meeting of all the thirty three guardians of this world. You'll be coming too._" It wasn't a request, apparently.

Mewtwo's voice betrayed his shock "_Of all the guardians? Including Ash? And you want me to come?_"

"_Yes. You might not have been created by Arceus, nor be a guardian legendary, but you're a vital part of this world and your strength is on par with some of the strongest among us. You might be young and inexperienced, but we value your presence as much as any other._"

Mewtwo was at a loss of words. It was an incredible honour to be considered as one of the guardians of this world, as he had come to learn. He shakily nodded his assent.

"_Alright, lackey! I want you to go fetch Kyogre, Manaphy and Phione from the ocean. It'll be difficult for them to reach the meeting place. You can go to the ocean and place yourself near them. I'll link with you and we can teleport them to the meeting place together._" Mew said with a grin. She seems to have dropped the serious persona in favour of the childish one.

"_You want me to teleport Kyogre!? .Freakin'.Insane?_" Mewtwo said hysterically.

Mew giggled at Mewtwo's reaction. She hadn't seen Mewtwo react like this before! "_Don't worry, Mewtwo! I'll share the load. We'll do it together._"

Mewtwo regained his composure and blushed in embarrassment. He hadn't ever cried hysterically like that before, but Kyogre was HUGE. His reaction was well justified.

"_Where do we meet?_" He asked.

"_It's a secret! Oh, and wait until tomorrow morning for my signal. It'll take time for the others to arrive._" Mew said, grinning. She disappeared, taking the golem trio along with her.

Mewtwo sighed. _Looks like Mew's back to her cheerful self again. _He teleported to the vast ocean, intent on finding his target.

* * *

Mew reappeared at a place far south of her last location. The thick and cold atmosphere reminded her how high up she was, she was at the highest point of the Earth.

"_So this is the meeting place._" Registeel looked around inside the massive cave, albeit with no ceiling, like an open dome. Natural marble formed the floors, with several pillars at the corners having some ancient scripts inscribed. The place itself had incredible beauty, and was easily large enough to hold a small town. There was a large lake with almost frozen water nearby, the heat of the dormant volcanic activity barely keeping it from freezing.

"_It's been a very long time since everyone gathered here._" Regirock moved around to sit at a rock formation. Mew had told them that the meeting would start at dawn.

"_Yes, and it's sad that the circumstances are so dire._" Regice added, also taking up a position. Well, he guessed the circumstances are dire, as they were not privy to Mew and Mewtwo's mental conversation.

Mew nodded in agreement. "_Well, it's time to call everyone. By morning tomorrow, everyone will be here and we can get the meeting started._"

She floated over to the centre of the room and closed her eyes. Extending her vast Psychic powers, her mind started to connect with each and every ones of the guardians. Well, the ones in this dimension anyway. She'll have to open a dimensional gateway to summon Dialga, Palkia and Giratina from their dimensions.

Mew giggled as her mind connected with Ash. Coincidentally, he was thinking of her. "_Why me?_" Ash's thoughts became apparent. He was thinking of resuming his aura training, and he isn't as enthusiastic about it as he once was. "_Why not?_" Mew replied in amusement. She giggled again, thinking that the boy must've gotten the shock of his life when her voice answered. She continued to connect with the other legendaries, and soon, the process was complete. She then relayed her message for all to hear.

"_Come, gather upon this place_

_Where Earth and heavens meet._

_At the sacred land of the guardians_

_At the palace atop the mountain peak._

_Gather here at the light of dawn_

_We shall speak of matters grave._

_I hereby call on you my kin,_

_For now, we must meet."_

With that, Mew closed her eyes and waited. She needed all of them, and that meant awakening a certain other golem and bringing a not so much alive eon dragon here somehow.

* * *

Not far away from this location, three beings arose from the lakes that they guarded. If anyone had seen them, no one could make out their appearance, as they were both visible and invisible. They were the first to answer Mew's call, and promptly teleported to their destination.

* * *

Far north of this location, a massive Pokémon opened its eyes. It was a dinosaur-like creature with a gray underside and covered in red, segmented plates of thick armour like skin. He had spikes that ran along the sides of its head, body, and tail. He lived inside a volcano, but the heat was the least of its bothers. Mew had called him. All of them. That can't be good. Without losing any time, he dug underground. Upon reaching a large tunnel, he coiled his massive form into a spheroid and began to roll towards his destination. He was glad to have created this tunnel leading there just in case of emergencies. He would join Heatran on his way to the destination. Groudon was on his way.

* * *

Many leagues under the sea, Kyogre also received Mew's message. She didn't have a good feeling about this at all. Mew wanted to 'speak of matters grave'. Why, the last time that had happened... she shivered at what could be wrong this time. She sensed Mewtwo approaching. How thoughtful of Mew to send her transportation. _It'll be too strenuous to teleport from this distance._ She decided.

"_Mewtwo, hear me. I will travel to the Sinnoh seas, so will Phione and Manaphy. The distance to teleport will be shorter from there."_

"_Very well. I shall wait for you there._" Mewtwo replied, and teleported to Sinnoh. Now, he just had to wait till Kyogre got here, which would be in about eight hours. Kyogre was a very fast swimmer if the need arose. At least he knew that the location was somewhere in Sinnoh.

* * *

Far above, in the skies of Hoenn, a large green serpent like creature with red-tipped, rudder like wings on his body turned south towards the Sinnoh skies. It looked like a majestic dragon, and its appearance radiated power. With a burst of speed, he accelerated to his full speed to reach his destination.

* * *

A large phoenix like bird with gold, red and white feathers broke from her patrol of the Johto skies. Mew's call had her worried. Mew sounded serious, and she had called all of the guardian legendaries. All of them, which meant something as grave as what happened centuries ago has happened. Or will happen. She took flight to Sinnoh in all her speed, confident that Suicune, Entei and Raikou could get there by themselves.

* * *

Somewhere above the seas, Ho-Oh's counterpart was as worried about the situation as she was. With a roar, he called the legendary titans to his side. They took towards Sinnoh in a steak of silver, red, yellow and blue, bringing perhaps the most confusing weather shift below them.

* * *

In Sinnoh, two beings were interrupted from their nightly stroll by Mew's voice. The Lunar duo set their sights on the ancient mountain near them and travelled in the silence of the night.

* * *

The voice of the forest listened to Mew's voice, and recognized the chaos that would descend to soon. She made haste to Sinnoh, determined to pick up Shaymin along the way. The poor thing couldn't fly at night.

* * *

In a city surrounded by water, inside a certain secret garden, an eon dragon was awoken from his sleep._ A meeting of all the guardian legendaries? What could this be about? _He sighed sadly._ Too bad I can't go._

Suddenly, Latios felt a Psychic tug on his soul. Before he could protest, his presence left the area, leaving behind a temporarily soulless dew.

* * *

The master of the legendary golems awoke from its slumber in an ancient temple. He looked around in confusion at the slowly crumbling temple, until his mind registered Mew's call. _Has Arceus finally awakened?_ He wondered. He began to move, but wasn't the fastest of the legendaries. He was still sure he would reach his destination by dawn, though. He wasn't that far away.

* * *

Mew smiled. _Most of the guardians are on their way. I'll collect Ash and Latias in the morning, and we'll only have to call the creation trio to get started. I would've just awakened Arceus, but something tells me that would be a bad, bad idea. _

**Post A/N:**

**Well, all done for now. I've tried to better my writing style, so give me your feedback, both positive and negative. Type them in the box below and click submit! Oh, and points to whoever guesses the meeting place!**

**A huge Thank you to Shaydrall for continuing to be this fic's awesome beta! **

**Edit:18/05/12:**

Many of you asked about the Unova legends, and I'm certain more of you are curious. I've not mentioned the existence of Unova and its legendary Pokémon because they are fairly unknown to me. The Unova episodes have not aired here, so I don't have enough knowledge about them. **Thus Unova Legendaries do not exist in this story.**

**This story will be updated only by June. Sorry guys, but I have exams now. :(**

**Please review, review and review! Did I mention review?**


	16. The Guardians Thirty Three

**A/N: I can't tell you all how extremely sorry I am that this update took so long. I'm not gonna list the excuses, but I'll try to be more prompt next time. Also, thank you readers! This story now has more than 100k views, it crossed 100k words, and 400 reviews too!**

Kudos to Uranium235 for guessing the exact place of the meeting. Shadow wolf fang, Phoenix Fire-Feather, ShadeDurza, JLgods01 and Zarathos' chain have also come very, very close, their guess is just a few miles (literally) away from the location I've set! Everyone else, read and find out!

Many of you asked about the Unova legends, and I'm certain more of you are curious. I've not mentioned the existence of Unova and its legendary Pokémon because they are fairly unknown to me. The Unova episodes have not aired here, so I don't have enough knowledge about them. **Thus Unova Legendaries do not exist in this story.**

**The Aura Sphere using Riolu would be joining Ash. I had forgotten to mention this at a chapter before. Thank you for making your opinions known.**

Reply to The Wonderer, Guest Reviewer: I'm sorry, but I don't think I can squeeze Primape into this story as well. Primape is not exactly lacking care, he's being trained well at the moment. I'm trying to make all of Ash's Pokémon appear in the League, which will become an even more difficult task as the number of Pokémon he has increases. As I said, he'll have Lucario and Riolu, I cannot see the need for Primape at the moment. I may possibly include him in the sequel of this story, though.

**Onward!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. The characters and other elements of this story are the copyrighted property of Pokémon or its affiliates and licensors. This fan fiction is purely for enjoyment and no desire of profit comes out of it.**

**Chapter 16**

**The Guardians Thirty Three**

A chilly breeze moved through the valley in the outskirts of Hearthome City bordering the vast ranges of Mt. Coronet. The vale was shrouded in darkness, for it was still an hour away from dawn. The sky was barely registering a hint of orange behind the majestic mountain ranges. It was that time when the majority of bird Pokémon were beginning to awaken and those that strolled in the night retired to rest. The vale was silent and there were no hints of anything unusual about this day.

Ash Ketchum was by no means a morning person, even after more than two months into his Aura training. He was resisting an urge to run back to the Pokémon centre and snuggle under a warm blanket as it was, because he was certain his company would not allow it. A Thundershock, Psychic and a (painful) jab in his stomach would stop him from doing so. He would jokingly say that even his Aura was asleep, for he would occasionally stumble in the darkness and lose balance. Fortunately, Lita would catch him just in time. Lucario saw this as a good means to train his Aura. He'd have to sense every living thing, trees and plants included, in the vicinity to keep him from bumping into objects. There was no light of the sun to guide him at this hour.

They reached a good distance from the city, to the location where they had trained with Ritchie and Anabel's Pokémon yesterday. Lucario stopped and turned around, his gaze serious.

"_Today we will resume your Aura training. I've already taught you the basics on how to form an Aura shield to protect yourself. Now to see if it can really protect you. Your shield can only be strengthened through constant use and practice." _Lucario told his trainer... trainee... whatever.

"Alright! Let's do this!" Ash fist-pumped. Lita and Pikachu snickered, as they knew Ash's enthusiasm could be attributed to the fact that they had skipped the sparring section in favour of learning something else. Lita transformed and zoomed to the sky, where she would be practicing her speed. She was supposed to be able to move faster than sound. But right now, she was nowhere near that speed. She was satisfied she was the fastest among Ash's Pokémon that could fly- she had worked for months to top Pidgeot's record. For short distances and in battles, Lucario could move faster than her. She was happy she could now keep up with Pikachu, but she needed to get to her absolute best, because she had the potential to.

As Ash raised his hand in front of him, he frowned in concentration. He let his Aura flow and coalesce into an impromptu shield in front of him, lacking a definite shape. It was like a mass of energy separating him and Lucario. It was nowhere near as spectacular as what Lucario had managed yesterday in his fight with Charizard, or even near what Riley could do, but even this was an achievement by itself. Lucario straightened himself and gathered a sphere of Aura in front of his right hand. Warning bells began to sound in Ash's mind. Was Lucario going to do what he thinks he's going to do?

"Wait, Lucario! I'm not ready—OOF!"

Lucario's Aura Sphere tore through Ash's shield like a bullet through air and implanted itself on Ash's gut. Lucario winced as Ash collapsed. Perhaps that was a bit much. He just wanted to test the shield's strength, but he wasn't that used to restraining his considerable power.

Pikachu looked on worriedly as his trainer got back up. At first, it was fun to see Ash's spars, but he reminded himself of the fact that Ash was human. He wondered if Ash's build can take this kind of training. Ash was doing all this for the sake of Pokémon and humans, as one of the Guardians of the world. Latias too, was giving it her all in training. He could hardly believe that she could now easily keep up with him in speed. He was comforted by the fact that the eon dragons were as fast as Pokémon got in the world, and he was probably the fastest Pikachu there is. His resolve to get stronger strengthened upon seeing the determination his friends showed. He was steadily improving in the attack power department, but he would need even more of that to keep up with fully evolved Pokémon in the elite four and Champion levels. Pikachu promptly slid onto a stance to work on his attack power and accuracy. He grinned as his cheeks sparked. He had a convenient, high speed target above him.

Pikachu's surroundings showed static for a split second before he shot a Thunder directly above him. With Latias' speed, he had to predict her location before launching the attack or she'd be long gone from the spot. Thanks to Latias' resistance to electricity, she didn't mind being the target too much. She was hard to hit, and a hit would only motivate her to work harder. Latias proved to be too fast this time, and the electricity discharged into the surroundings after illuminating the sky for a second.

* * *

The clap of thunder was what awoke Anabel from her sleep. She opened an eye partially and found that the room was still dark. Feeling sleepy, she began to drift off. Just before she would fall asleep, she heard the rustle of clothes in the room. Feeling alert, she sharpened her hearing. Soft footsteps could be heard from her vicinity, causing her to go rigid. It was too early for anyone to be awake.

She heard a lock being turned and the door opening, making a slight creak. Her mind came to the conclusion that she was being burglarized. Living alone in a tower and working undercover for a crime fighting organization in no way lessened her paranoia. With some mental effort, she used her abilities of empathy to awaken Espeon, who usually slept outside her Pokéball.

"_Espeon, someone's broken in!"_

Anabel sensed that Espeon was in a slightly confused and sleepy state, but thankfully her Pokémon shook it off and became alert, ready to defend her master.

_"I think it's a burglar. You know what to do!"_

Espeon gave a mental yes. Anabel opened her eyes to find Espeon's eyes glowing blue. A startled yelp was heard from the direction she heard the sound earlier. The distinctly feminine yelp and the familiar voice that carried it led Anabel to the conclusion that maybe this wasn't the best idea.

Abruptly getting off from the bed, she switched on the lights to reveal Dawn, still in her sleep clothing, held mid-air by Espeon's telekinetic powers. After an awkward moment of staring, she gave the still startled girl a sheepish smile and asked Espeon to release Dawn gently.

"Eh heh heh. Sorry, I thought you were a burglar." Anabel said bluntly. Dawn blushed in embarrassment.

"Ah. I just didn't want to wake you." Dawn smiled nervously. She was still feeling the shock of her earlier scare. She had never experienced a psychic hold before, and she was frightened when she suddenly couldn't move.

"The sound of that thunder woke me up." Anabel told her, glancing at the clock. "Still an hour to go till dawn. Are you up for training?" That would make sense. Travelling trainers often found time for training by waking early, so it stands to reason that coordinators would do the same.

"Um... Yeah. Kind of." Dawn answered, nervous again. Most would have shrugged off the nervousness, but Anabel was a bit suspicious. Again, something she attributed to her part-time job with the G-Men. _I'm getting way too paranoid._ Anabel concluded.

"Well, guess it wouldn't hurt to get some training done myself. No use going back to sleep." Anabel said, more to herself. Dawn sent her a wide eyed look for a second before neatly covering it with a smile.

"That's great. Let's go together!" Dawn lied through her teeth.

Anabel nodded. The duo took a few minutes to get ready and change before they headed out.

Brock heard the two leaving from the boy's room and sighed. _Looks like I'm the last one up. _He thought, looking at Ash's _and Ritchie's_ empty beds.

* * *

Outside the centre, Anabel watched the clear sky curiously.

"I could've sworn I heard a thunder..."

"You did." Dawn told her.

"There isn't a cloud in the sky." Anabel muttered.

"Oh, it's the other way around." Dawn said, grinning.

"What do you-" Anabel was interrupted when she saw a flash of lightning. Most peculiarly, the lightning was directed _from the earth to the sky_.

"-the hell was that?" Anabel exclaimed, startled. Thunder followed it immediately.

"...Pikachu." Dawn replied.

Anabel considered it for a second and shook her head. "There is no way an electric type can produce enough electricity to make that much lightning or thunder." For a moment, Anabel thought of the irony of the electric lightning based attack being called thunder. Electric Pokémon simply couldn't release enough electricity to make an actual thunder. Small cracks and rumbles, sure. But not a real thunder that could be heard for miles.

"By Pikachu I mean Ash's Pikachu." Dawn clarified.

Anabel opened her mouth to argue, but promptly shut it. No matter how unlikely it was, there was no other logical explanation to what was going on. _When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. _She reminded herself.

"This I got to see." Anabel muttered, and took off whit Espeon on tow towards the place where she saw the attack from. Dawn promptly followed her, Piplup half asleep in her arms.

* * *

Latias sensed Dawn _and_ Anabel before she saw them. Still high in the sky, she promptly vanished into nothingness. Pikachu complained loudly from below, telling her it was 'not fair' to use her inherent ability to make herself invisible. She told him her reason for doing so with telepathy, causing Pikachu to shut up and watch what was about to happen.

_Looks like Ash has another stalker in the morning. _Pikachu thought, snickering. It was beyond funny seeing Dawn trying to camouflage herself behind the rocks to watch Ash train. It looks like she brought company this time.

Dawn and Anabel approached the area from where the attack was seen. Dawn immediately hid behind a rock and pulled Anabel along with her.

"Wha-" Anabel protested, but was silenced by Dawn.

"Shh! He'll hear us!" Dawn whispered.

"Who? Ash?" Anabel asked curiously. This definitely qualified as suspicious.

"Yeah. I don't want to disturb him while he's training with Aura." Dawn explained.

"So that's why Pikachu's out so early." Anabel looked at the clearing where Ash was standing in a defensive stance. She was a bit awed at the shimmering blue barrier that formed in front of him, but winced when it was promptly dispelled by Lucario's Aura sphere.

"Yeah. It's really cool!" Dawn breathed.

_Looks like Ash has an admirer. _Anabel thought, raising an eyebrow. Truthfully, she felt a bit jealous of Dawn. She was able to travel with Ash every day! Ash was a fun person to be around, and Anabel had found much earlier on that she liked him more than as a friend. Unfortunately, Ash's generally dense nature prevented her from opening up. She really hoped Dawn's admiration wouldn't transgress to something more –she definitely didn't need a rival at this point.

"You do realize you're trying to stalk an Aura Guardian and his Lucario, right?" An amused male voice sounded from behind them. Anabel and Dawn jumped and turned around to find Ritchie and Sparky grinning at them.

"It's not what it looks like!" Dawn stuttered, embarrassed.

"What does it look like?" Ritchie asked them, barely containing his laughter. Belatedly, Anabel realized that she too had landed in a very suspicious position. Apparently, the similarity between Ash and Ritchie was limited to looks and tastes in Pokémon. He was nowhere near that dense.

"It was all Dawn's idea!" Anabel defended herself. She flinched from the hurtful look of betrayal the younger girl sent her. It was only then that she realized the full significance of Ritchie's first sentence. They were stalking- ahem- hiding- from an Aura Guardian and a Pokémon that relies on Aura to battle. She paled a little on the implications of that.

"So... he knows we're here?" Anabel asked, motioning behind them, towards Ash's direction. Ritchie's grin widened, but Dawn was still confused.

"How would he know...?" Dawn asked.

"He's an Aura Guardian." Anabel and Ritchie answered simultaneously, much to their mutual embarrassment.

"So?" Dawn asked, not grasping the significance.

"So I can sense you. I knew you were hiding." A smug voice came from behind them. Anabel suddenly knew why Ritchie was holding back his laughter. She whipped her head around in near synchronism with Dawn to find Ash starting to crack up with mirth, Lucario, Pikachu _and Lita_ joining him. Dawn and Anabel blushed deep red in embarrassment.

"I just didn't want to interrupt your training. How long had you known?" Dawn asked, flustered. She didn't include Anabel in her defence after the older girl had sold her out.

"Oh, I don't know. How long has it been since you started to watch me? Two months? I just wanted to see your face when you figured out that I could sense you... It was totally worth it!" Ash said, smirking. Dawn spluttered as Anabel and Ritchie looked at her in amusement.

"What are you doing here, Lita? You're stalking too?" Anabel asked the other girl who had joined them. Lita froze at the question.

"I... I..." She couldn't formulate a response that wouldn't give away her identity. Unfortunately, the smirking faces of Ritchie and Anabel told her they got a totally different idea from her lack of denial.

"It's okay. It's not every day you get to see the great Ash Ketchum train!" Of course, Ash took the implications in a totally different way too, attributing it to starstruck admirers. He also wanted to divert attention from Lita. The reply caused the group to face plant.

_Well, Ash knows the truth about me, so in the end it doesn't matter. Good thing my cover wasn't blown. _Lita thought.

"Hey Lita..." Ash asked thoughtfully.

"Yeah?" The disguised eon dragoness turned to her trainer.

"I have a feeling I'm forgetting something very, very important." Ash said, frowning thoughtfully. Anabel, Dawn and Ritchie looked confused.

_Uh Oh..._ Lita frowned. "I don't think so." A flash of memory came to her and she realized that she had completely forgotten as well till now."Oh wait. There's the-"

Lita was interrupted mid-sentence when she felt a psychic grip on her. _Oh, not now, not in front of-_

Lita, Ash, Pikachu and Lucario vanished suddenly, startling everyone. A moment of stunned silence followed in the now smaller group.

"What-"

"-the hell-"

"-happened?"

Dawn, Anabel and Ritchie shared the same thoughts. Panicking, they looked around, not knowing that their friends were now miles away.

* * *

"-meeting. Yeah." Lita completed her sentence for the sake of her trainer as they landed on a cold marble floor.

"Ouch." Ash mumbled, as they had teleported to a position a little higher than ground level. They scrambled and got up, dusting themselves in the process. They looked around, and found that they were in a rather crowded place.

"Holy..." Ash breathed.

'What in the world-' Pikachu looked around in astonishment.

"_...Okay, Ash Ketchum. Did you forget to tell me something?_" Lucario asked, sending a wide eyed look around him.

"_He did, probably."_ A musical telepathic voice chimed from above them. _"In any case, welcome to the Hall of Origin."_

* * *

"And they just disappeared!" Dawn said frantically to the Pokémon breeder and the eldest of the group.

"I see." Brock nodded thoughtfully.

"You see!? What do you mean, you see? What happened to them? I mean they just-" Dawn was silenced when Brock raised a hand.

"Dawn, don't you think you're overreacting-"

"Overreacting!?" Dawn said, semi-hysterically. "They just disappeared –kaput! Just like that! How can you be so calm?"

"...I guess you haven't been with Ash long enough to know." Brock told her.

"Know? Know what?" Dawn asked, calming down slightly.

"This kind of stuff happens to him. Remember what he told Ritchie yesterday?" Brock asked.

Dawn paused. "Well... yeah. But still..."

"Look Dawn, I'm sure they're fine." Brock told her. "It's probable Mew teleported Ash and his Pokémon for some reason. There's nothing we can do for now."

Dawn thought for a moment, and gave a sigh. "I guess you're right."

Anabel and Ritchie remained far more composed about the situation, as they were more experienced in matters like this. One from being part of the G-Men, and the other from being a bit like Ash when it came to adventures. Anabel however, began to panic internally. _How am I gonna report this? Lance will kill me!_

"Brock, that explains Ash, Pikachu and Lucario's disappearance, but what about Lita?" Ritchie asked. Anabel gave a start. Ritchie had hit the nail right on the head.

Brock started to sweat a little. "Ah. Yes, that. Well... you see..."

Anabel narrowed her eyes. Something was up. "Are you hiding something?"

* * *

Ash Ketchum was a person who has experienced things that would make others blink and question his sanity if he told anyone about it. But not an item in that list could've prepared him fully for the sight that beheld him when he finally registered his surroundings.

The first in his line of sight was Groudon and Kyogre. The gigantic Pokémon had turned to face him on his 'arrival'. Kyogre was floating on a gigantic lake, and Groudon was standing nearby, looking slightly like a large hill due to the lack of light.

Above them, it was hard to miss the gigantic, green, serpentine dragon that was also looking at him. Rayquaza too had joined them, making the trio complete. His form was slightly silhouetted by the light of the morning sun almost peeking out of the distant horizon.

Ash then saw, much to his shock, that this wasn't even the beginning of the list.

Regice, Regirock, Registeel, Celebi, Suicune, Entei, Raikou (he guessed, from the pictures he had seen), Articuno, Zapados, Moltress, Manaphy, Phione, Jirachi and many other legendaries that he couldn't identify spanned his view. At least, he guessed they were legendaries, as that was what was common for all of them. Most people would downright faint by now, but he wasn't Ash Ketchum for nothing.

So he took it in the stride and waved at them with a slightly goofy grin. His greeting was acknowledged and returned by most of them, and he could swear he saw some of them smirking. Hmm... His hands were a bit shaky. Odd.

"_Good to see you again, Ash."_ An ancient feminine voice was heard from behind him.

"_Indeed. It's sad we are at crisis at this moment of reunion, Chosen One." _A male voice he recognized from somewhere was also heard. Turning around, he took in a sharp breath._ Ho-Oh, Lugia, Mewtwo and Latios were behind him._

"L-Latios?" Ash asked disbelievingly. He never would've thought he'd see the dragon again. The eon dragoness beside him transformed and moved at astounding speed towards her brother.

"_This is just a projection of my soul." _Latios answered, sending a sad gaze at his sibling. Latias seemed to have understood that too, as she halted before she flew through the projection and destroyed it. She looked sadly at her brother, he looked so much alive for a second.

When Latias told him that Mew had called some sort of meeting, Ash sure wasn't expecting this. He too had heard Mew's telepathy yesterday, but he wasn't the best mind at solving riddles and couldn't make much out of it. Latias comprehended it to some degree, but she too was young by legendary standards and did not know what the meeting was. She suspected that the meeting place was the Hall of Origin, where, from what she had heard from Mew in her childhood, Arceus made his home on the Earth. She was told that Arceus no longer resides here, but in a separate dimension, but she didn't know why. She assured him that Mew would know that they didn't know where the place was, so she would probably teleport them here... today... morning. _Oh, so that's what I forgot._

Ash took a deep breath and slowly walked forward to greet the four legendaries in near of him. He realized now what this was. A meeting of all the guardians... this felt so unreal! Not to mention he was meeting Ho-Oh up close for the first time. It was Ho-Oh that always inspired him, right from the first day of his journey.

* * *

Mew watched the reunion of the twin eons sadly. She was pained to give Latias false hope that her brother was alive, but he had to come to the meeting. She couldn't interfere with the cycle of life and death without Arceus' permission, and hence couldn't revive Latios. That and meddling with time were two things Arceus had forbidden her from doing. Time was left to Celebi and Dialga and death was something only Arceus could change. Little did Ash know that it was not her or Mewtwo's power that brought him back at New Island, but the sleeping power within him, as he had many more duties to perform. It was the same power that awakened Lucario. Unfortunately, Ash didn't know how to use Arceus' Aura consciously yet.

"_Are you going to summon them?" _Azelf asked Mew, joining her at the centre of the large hall. Uxie and Mesprit also followed, causing a few legendaries to glance in their direction. All the guardians had assembled in a roughly circular formation around them, just comfortable enough to give everyone space.

"_Yes. We need them for this meeting." _Mew told them, uncharacteristically serious. _"Ash's skills still revolve around using his own Aura. He hasn't learned to properly access Arceus' aura yet, so he cannot help us with summoning them."_

"_It is impressive that he has attained even this level quickly. I can sense that he's quite proficient at using his own Aura even if he has not mastered the advanced arts. Didn't Aaron take years to learn and control Arceus' Aura?"_ Uxie asked.

"_Yes. That's why I had Ash revive Lucario. Ash doesn't have years to get ready for what's coming. Lucario can help him in that regard." _Mew told them. The lake trio nodded in understanding. They didn't know what was coming, but this meeting was bound to give them an idea.

"_So we will have to summon the orbs first?" _Mesprit asked.

Mew nodded. _"It's either the three orbs and you three together or Ash alone. Nothing else can summon those three to this realm." _

"_It's scary a human can do what even you cannot."_ Azelf smiled slightly at Mew.

"_We all have our duties, and remember that Ash is one of us guardians. If I could do everything, there would be no need for all of us." _Mew said, smiling.

* * *

"Well... I never thought I'd get to say this, but, well... hello." Ash extended a hand with a smile to Ho-Oh. The sky's guardian extended her wings and touched it, looking amused. Pikachu hopped off from Ash's shoulders to meet the legends. He too, knew many of them, but it was overwhelming to see all of them together.

"_Hello to you too, Ash. We never have had an opportunity to meet properly, have we?"_ Ho-Oh asked rhetorically.

"Nope." Ash replied, still overwhelmed by what was happening. "Mewtwo, it's nice to see you again. How have you been?"

"_I'm doing well, thank you Ash. I've heard about your adventures occasionally from Mew." _Mewtwo smiled slightly. "_You get around, don't you?" _

Ash smiled sheepishly. "Yeah. I guess. I never thought I'd get to see all the legendary Pokémon in one place."

"_It is very rare, from what I've heard._" Mewtwo admitted. Ho-Oh nodded in agreement.

"_How do you know Mewtwo, Ash?_" Latias asked curiously. She had an idea though.

"_He's the human who saved me twice - once from myself and then from Team Rocket._" Mewtwo told her. Latias grinned. _Yup, nailed it._

Ash wondered how Mewtwo know Latias, but figured it was through Mew. He noted that the hall they were in was the single most beautiful place he had seen. It was hard to believe it was not manmade, but then again, maybe not. The place had perfection that could not be achieved by human hands. The floor was of marble, and the place itself had an ancient look about it. It looked like a gigantic open air stadium, with lots of space for everyone. With the sun's rays beginning to illuminate the area, he became increasingly aware of the breath taking beauty. He had not noticed all this before, as he was stunned at seeing the legendaries. But now, Ash could say that this place deserved to be called heaven on earth in every sense of the word.

Ash felt a strangely familiar aura lingering in the area. It felt ancient and powerful in a level he had never felt before. He was sure it wasn't coming from any of the legendaries present. He could feel that the aura was that of someone who had once called this place home, and the familiar feel of the energy instantly brought the name of that Pokémon at his tongue.

"Arceus." He whispered in awe. He knew what it was, instinctually.

"_You feel it, don't you? Yes, that is his aura, and part of it now resides in you._" Ho-Oh told him.

Taking a deep breath, Ash scanned the crowd again. He noticed that not all were familiar faces. "I don't think I've seen some of them." Ash said, motioning to a group of legendaries unknown to him.

"_You've only begun to explore Sinnoh. They make this area their home and rarely go elsewhere." _Lugia told him. _"The one floating above the rocks is Cressalia, and below her is Darkrai."_ Lugia motioned to a Pokémon with a blue body and yellow underside, with beautiful magenta wings shaped like the crescent moon. She seemed to be radiating light and had a serene expression. Below her, in sharp contrast, stood a black, shadowlike creature with bright blue eyes and a fog-like substance flowing from its head, resembling hair. It seemed to be adorned with a red collar around its neck. It had an hourglass like figure and appeared to be wearing a black, withered cloak. Overall, Ash felt a chill run through his spine just by looking in that direction. Latias hid behind her brother at the sight of the night's guardian, who in turn had chosen to hide behind Ho-Oh.

"_There's no need to fear. Darkrai might look intimidating, but he is as well meaning as the rest of you." _Ho-Oh told the two terrified legendaries and the intimidated guardian. It was their first encounter with Darkrai and they were Psychic types. What did you expect?

"_The one near Groudon is Heatran." _Mewtwo told him. _"Below Celebi is Shaymin, and Regigigas stands in front of the golems. Surrounding Mew now are Mesprit, Azelf and Uxie." _He said, pointing at each of them. He knew the legendaries familiar to Ash, as Mew often talked about those adventures of his.

Ash nodded in understanding. He had heard of them from the legend, but this was the first time he saw them.

"So, any idea what this meeting is about?"Ash asked the legendaries near him. He had this question in mind ever since yesterday night. Could it be related to what Mew had warned him about?

"_Mew must have found out something more about the prophecy she made to you. I'm guessing that whatever it was must have been quite disturbing for her. I haven't seen her this serious for about two millennia."_ Ho-Oh replied.

Ash paled. "Millennia? Is it that bad? What happened last time?"

"_At that meeting, her exact opening lines were, if I remember correctly, Arceus has fallen." _Lucario spoke up.

"What?!" Ash, Latias and Latios shouted.

"_Ah, you were present here at that time along with Sir Aaron, the Wielder of The Original Aura at that time." _Lugia remembered a younger Lucario and Sir Aaron at the meeting which gave them the gravest news in history, period.

"_What happened to Lord Arceus?"_ Latios asked, panicking. Ash and Latias too had frantic expressions. It's not every day you hear that something had happened to the universe's creator.

"_I forget that you were born only fifteen years ago. You don't know about what happened back then, and Mew must have forgotten to tell you. Lord Arceus faced a grave peril about two thousand years ago-" _Lugia abruptly cut off his speech and looked up. Ash, Lucario and the eon twins followed his gaze and saw that Mew was floating at the centre of the hall, with Azelf, Mesprit and Uxie surrounding her. Mew's eyes glowed blue for a second, and three orbs materialized around her.

Ash glanced at the orbs and frowned. _Where have I seen..._

"_The Adamant, Lustrous and Griseous orbs. So they are being summoned." _Ho-Oh surmised. She wasn't too surprised, seeing as everyone else was here.

"The Adamant Orb! I've seen it in the Eterna Museum!" Ash realized. "But what is it doing here?"

"_The orbs are essentially anchors to this dimension. Azelf, Mesprit and Uxie are using them to summon Dialga, Palkia and Giratina to this realm." _Lugia explained.

Ash flinched suddenly as a wave of power passed him. The aura in his surroundings began to flow away from the centre of the Hall, where the atmosphere seemed to be rippling. He felt a weird distortion in the energy around him, making him feel like his own mind was being twisted. Ash realized that the Aura around him was going haywire for some reason.

"Wha-What's happening?" Ash shouted. Everything seemed to be going chaotic from what he could sense. The distortion at the centre of the hall increased in magnitude and three extremely powerful auras began to emanate around the portals that had formed around the lake trio. Beside him, he could feel the young eon twins flinch a little as well.

"_Shield them!"_ Ho-Oh said in alarm. She had forgotten that Ash was sensitive to the extremely powerful auras of the creation trio, and he wasn't trained enough to withstand the full strength of their aura. Even though the eon twins had seen the creation trio at some point, this would be the first time their presence was felt together.

Lugia immediately understood and his eyes glowed blue. Immediately, Ash felt the strain vanish. He opened his eyes which he had shut from the overwhelming experience, just in time to see three large entities materialize out of nothingness.

"_I'm sorry Ash, I should've tried to shield you." _Lucario mentally cursed himself for his momentary carelessness. Ash wasn't ready to be exposed to that power. After all, he and Aaron had a similar reaction during the last meeting.

"Never mind that." Ash smiled reassuringly, his momentary headache now gone. He looked at the three beings that had just emerged. "Are they...?"

"_Dialga, Palkia and Giratina._" Lugia answered his query. "_The Creation Trio._"

* * *

**Mt. Coronet, Hidden Base**

"That concludes my report." A far more composed Sabrina told the Commander's Assembly of the Pokémon G-Men. Everyone had dropped their jobs and had gotten here with all haste when Lance summoned them at such an early hour. They had reason to be excited. They had finally gotten vital information from the Team Galactic grunt, and they would no longer be searching in the darkness. But even the normally unflappable champions looked pale after the revelations that were made in Sabrina's report.

Cynthia clapped a hand to her forehead and closed her eyes, stress beginning to take her. "It was Cyrus all along. I was an idiot." She and her grandmother had shared much of their research discoveries with him.

"It's not your fault, Cynthia." Steven reassured her. "No one would have suspected him. Do you think he knows the full legend?"

"No." Cynthia answered immediately. "At least, I think not. I hadn't even told my grandmother that I now know the complete legend. The Regional Professors and some of us G-Men are the only ones privileged with that information, along with the Aura Guardians."

"We cannot act with just this evidence." Lance sad bitterly. "Cynthia, be cautious around him and keep a close watch." He instructed. The Sinnoh Champion nodded in agreement.

Wallace muttered. "It still seems they know the relevant parts of the legend. Why else would they target the Adamant orb, and thus Dialga?"

"I agree. We must act under the assumption that they know at least as much as us." Lance said. "We cannot afford to underestimate them."

"Do you think they will target Palkia and Giratina? Or even Arceus?" Drake asked with slight dread in his voice.

"They might. We must assume so." Lance replied. "We must also keep a closer watch on Ash, they might target him to better know the legend."

"Isn't Anabel watching him? He'll be fine!" Noland said cheerfully. Abruptly, Lance's cell phone rang.

Lance looked at the ID, then at Noland. "Noland, I believe you jinxed us." He accepted the call and spoke through the cell. "Anabel? What is it?"

A moment of silence ensued, with everyone eager to hear whatever report Anabel had.

"What do you mean he vanished?!" Lance almost shouted, slamming his hand on the table and getting up. Everyone looked at Lance in alarm. Noland gulped.

"You _think_ it's Mew? Can you be sure?" Lance now asked. He had a defeated expression when he heard the reply. "Yes, I guess we can't confirm it. Sorry for yelling at you. I was just anxious. Please report back when you have news. We will place the G-Men on alert."

Lance cut off the cell and glared at Noland. "Ash Ketchum and his Pokémon disappeared today at 6 A.M. Congratulations, Noland. You jinxed it." He sighed and sat down tiredly.

"Didn't she say something about Mew summoning him?" Sabrina asked.

_I told you not to read my mind!_ Lance thought, annoyed. "That's the theory, but we have no proof. Why would Mew summon him?"

"Maybe because he's one of them? The guardians I mean." Cynthia said, regaining her composure.

"You mean to tell me the Legendary Guardians are meeting like us?" Lance frowned. "Why all of a sudden?"

"We cannot be sure if all of them are meeting, but maybe Mew has some new warning or something." Sabrina said vaguely. "I don't think its Team Galactic. They may be able to teleport out their own agents, but they don't have a Psychic Pokémon attuned to Ash's signature. Mew is far more likely."

Lance considered that. "I suppose you're right." Lance replied, though everyone could see he was still worried. They couldn't blame him. Ash's security was extremely important at the moment, what with the fate of the world hanging in the balance.

"At least the orbs are safe." Noland said reassuringly. Lance's cell rang again and he loudly swore.

Lance had a dark expression as he glanced at the ID. "Noland is forbidden from speaking." He declared. He held out the ID for everyone to see. "Riley from Eterna City Museum." He received the call and prepared for the worst.

"Hello?" Lance's face turned white upon hearing Riley speak. He dropped the phone and collapsed to his chair.

"Lance!" Everyone got up, alarmed. Drake checked his forehead, but the temperature seemed normal. He was sweating profusely, though. His breathing slowly turned regular.

"Adamant Orb... disappeared... Need... vacation." Lance whined feebly.

* * *

**Hall of Origin**

"_Alright. Which one of you opened that hole in my world?_" Giratina roared at his space and time counterparts.

"_Hole in your world? I should be asking you two the same question!"_ Palkia snapped.

"_You're accusing me of this? The nerve!" _Dialga said indignantly.

"_Ahem."_

"_You know full well I don't care for your worlds! You're the bumbling morons who always mess up mine!_" Giratina was furious at the accusation.

"_What? I never start-" _Dialga and Palkia said jointly, only to be interrupted.

"_Ahem!"_

"_What!?" _The creation trio turned to the source of the sound as one, only to find a floating pink cat swishing her long tail in impatience. Azelf, Mesprit and Uxie also surrounded her with amused expressions, the three orbs floating near them.

"_Settle down, children._" Mew said with obvious sarcasm in her voice. "_You're delaying the meeting._"

The trio opened their mouths to protest that remark, but promptly shut it. Giratina blinked. "_Meeting?_" She slowly turned along with Dialga and Palkia to find the hall full of sweat dropping legendaries.

"_Ah._"

_What could this be about? _Giratina wondered. As she, Dialga and Palkia lived in separate dimensions, they couldn't pick up a telepathic message even if Mew had sent one. Similar thoughts passed through the minds of the other two.

"_We just made complete idiots out of ourselves, didn't we?_" Palkia muttered. Dialga nodded slowly.

"_Not that you two have to try that hard._" Giratina said promptly and was on the receiving end of two death glares.

"_Done now?_ _We have something important to discuss._" Mew said, her eyes twitching slightly.

"_Uhh... yeah._" Giratina was a little scared of Mew's seriousness. She was almost always playful. _Oh dear Arceus, what is it this time?_

* * *

"_I can't believe they're older than us._" Lugia said from his position, shaking her head. Everyone could clearly hear the petty argument between the Creation Trio.

"_Mew is older than us. That train of thought would just backfire._" Ho-Oh said in amusement.

"Are they... always like that?" Ash asked. This was definitely not what he was expecting from the ones that crafted the world.

"_I'm afraid so._" Ho-Oh shook her head.

"_Wait... what's happening?_" The usually silent Mewtwo spoke. Ho-Oh and Lugia looked in time to see Giratina's forehead glowing blue while being shrouded by a black mist. Her form turned to darkness and she vanished without a trace.

"_Shadow Force._" Surprisingly it was Latias that answered first, grimacing. "_Giratina likes to sneak up on people with that move._"

"_Talking about me, dear Latias?_" A voice floated from directly behind them. With a shriek, the eon twins turned around to find a large, gray Pokémon with six short, thick legs adorned with gold claws, golden bands and a tail. Three gold crescent shaped collars adorned the back of the Pokémon's neck, behind which it was hard to miss the large black wings that gave her a menacing appearance.

Ash stumbled back in shock. Giratina looked terrifying up close, with those black wings of hers. Giratina grinned, obviously amused.

"_G-Giratina. Please don't scare us like that." _Latias stuttered. Latios too had received a fright, forgetting _he_ had nothing to be afraid of.

"_You should've seen the looks on your faces!_" Giratina laughed. "_Latios, you look as pale as a ghost."_

"_That would be because technically, I am a ghost."_ Latios told her. "_I died about two years ago."_

For a fraction of a second, Giratina missed the significance of that statement._ "Oh, that explains... WHAT?" _Giratina shouted. Latios is _dead_? A Legendary Guardian, gone? Why didn't she hear of this? She remembered seeing the eon twins playing in their garden just a few years ago.

"_He died protecting the island city from an evil human organization called Team Rocket._" Lugia elaborated. "_What you see now is just a projection of his soul from the Soul Dew he left behind._"

_At such a young age? _ Giratina thought sadly. "_That's the second Latios within decades. What is this world coming to?_" Giratina muttered. She shook her head and focussed her attention on the unfamiliar Pokémon near her. "_And who are you?_"

Mewtwo was slightly taken aback by the question, but he supposed that was to be expected. Even though Giratina had once visited the eon siblings before, she hadn't seen him yet. Mewtwo wondered how exactly he should phrase this. "_I am Mewtwo. Some human scientists found a genetic sample of Mew and used it to create the world's strongest Pokémon. I am the result of that experiment._" He admitted bitterly.

_Can humans do that?_ Giratina thought, shocked. _It's evident they came nowhere close, though. They can only hope to create a being that can match Mew! _She snorted at the thought. "_You? Strongest Pokémon? As if!_"

Mewtwo was a bit annoyed, but he supposed his strengths were easily dwarfed by the creation trio and Mew herself. "_Admittedly, they failed. They tried to use me for their selfish gains, but I broke free a few years ago. Mew asked me to come to this meeting._" Mewtwo said, carefully skipping over the part where he tried to destroy the world. There was no need for that part to be known unless necessary.

"_Humans are always up to no good. I have no sympathy for them._" Giratina declared. Ho-Oh and Lugia frowned in disapproval, but Mewtwo almost nodded before stopping himself. He forgot that Ash was here.

"Hey! I resent that!" Ash shouted. No matter how terrifying Giratina was, Ash couldn't allow her to simply label all of humanity based on the actions of a few.

Giratina was surprised at the sound and looked down to see the human standing near her. She frowned for a second but then saw Lucario near him. That triggered a memory of the last meeting to her.

"_Did you get... shorter?_" she suddenly asked, scrutinizing Ash.

"Uhh... no?" Ash had no idea what this was about, but was positive he didn't get shorter. Was that even possible?

Giratina contemplated that. "_I could've sworn you weren't this tiny._" she frowned.

"_Ah. This is not Sir Aaron, Lady Giratina. He died about two millennia ago. This is Ash Ketchum, the present Wielder of the Original Aura._" Lucario understood Giratina's confusion. He himself was once similarly confused, after all.

"_Ah, I see. Mortals have such short life spans._" Giratina thought out loud, prompting sweat drops.

"Why do you think all humans are bad? Sure, there are bad people, but there are good ones too!" Ash defended.

"_May be. But that doesn't justify the fact that almost every crisis the world had faced was of human make!_" Giratina accused.

"I don't know about that, but even if it was true, you can't judge all of us that way!" Ash said stubbornly.

Giratina looked directly to Ash's eyes. "_I do not think you, who wields father's aura, have bad intentions. You would not be chosen for the task if that was the case. But humans had proved time and time again that they are a race greedy for power. You, or a few like you, cannot change that. They even betrayed father's trust and tried to-"_

"_Thank you all for coming._" Mew's voice cut through all the chatter in the hall. All the talks subsided and everyone's attentions were drawn to the centre of the room.

"_I know we haven't had such a meeting in the past two thousand years, and this was because the world was at relative peace. Or at least, nothing cataclysmic that warranted our full attention had occurred. A small crisis had arisen last year, when two groups of humans had taken control of the red and blue orbs and targeted to control Groudon and Kyogre. Fortunately, the resulting chaos was averted due to the timely action of another group of humans, including Ash, who you all know as the Wielder of the Original Aura._"

Seeing most legendaries nod, Ash was baffled. "What? You all knew that even then?" he asked.

"_Of course we did._" Lugia smiled. "_Most of us knew who you were from the start, when you were chosen for the job, 'Chosen One!' Now hush, or you'll miss what Mew's about to say._"

_Chosen One? So that's what it means! But when did they choose me, and why me? _Ash had just gotten more curious from Lugia's answer, but decided to voice his questions another time.

"_I didn't know till now, if that comforts you._" Giratina told him, amused. "_Neither did Dialga and Palkia, from the looks on their faces._"

"_Neither did we._" Latios too spoke, speaking for his sister and himself. This didn't do much for Ash, as he was the one who should have known first!

"_A much graver situation has arisen_" Mew continued "_with a group of humans known as Team Galactic. What they were up to was a mystery till now, but they had attempted to steal the Adamant Orb a few months ago."_

This sentence caused worry among most of the legendaries present. They knew the significance the orb had, after all. Understandably, Dialga looked the most irritated.

"_Yesterday, I came to know their motives._" Mew continued, and the hall was enveloped in dead silence.

"_Their leader is trying to 'craft a new world' because 'this one is too flawed'. He's trying to make 'a new world' modelled to his liking._" She revealed.

Ash didn't fully understand its significance, but the looks of horror on Lugia, Ho-Oh, and many other legendaries told him the matter was serious.

"_Raving lunatic._" Giratina declared. "_They think they can control us?_"

Surprisingly, Palkia agreed with her. "_Many have tried, and failed. That'll just remain a wild dream for them._"

Dialga's lack of support for that statement caused Giratina to sweat slightly. "._..Right?_"

"_The wheels of time have turned, and humans have learned from the past. They now know more than they did then._" Dialga said seriously. Celebi nodded, causing half of the legendaries to start sweating in anxiety.

"_With what limited amount the time guardians can reveal, we know this matter requires our full attention._" Mew declared, eying her fellow guardians for support.

"_We should not take this lightly._" Lugia opined. Ho-Oh nodded.

"_Dialga speaks the truth. Human technology has grown to the point where we must be cautious. I speak from experience._" Kyogre said grimly. Groudon agreed. They couldn't forget that incident so easily.

By now, every legendary had decided that the threat was worth investigating in depth. They would be foolish not to.

"Can they really control the Creation trio?" Ash wondered.

"_You have seen yourself what technology is capable of. I wouldn't write it off._" Latios told him. "_If they succeed, it will be the end of the world._"

"What?! Is it that bad?" Ash asked, shocked.

"_I should think so. The Creation trio made this world, after all._" Latias told him.

"_Let me put it this way. If they force us into making a new dimension, because that's what I think their plan is from what Mew told us, both this world and the new one will collapse. Everything other than us and Arceus will be history. We'll be back to the drawing board, day one._" Giratina explained.

_Every single living being... destroyed?_ Ash paled. "Why would they do something that foolish?"

"_I would assume they do not know that their attempts are doomed to fail. Without Arceus' power, no world can be stable._" Lucario said seriously.

"_I think Mew's about to continue._" Latios warned. Everyone snapped their attention towards the centre of the hall once again.

"_So, we will act?_" Mew asked, hoping for a consensus.

"_We will act._" Palkia said, defeated. Giratina nodded. Admittedly, Dialga knew more about the matter than they did.

"_Then what will be our strategy?_" Mew asked the room at large.

"_We'll crush them before they become a threat!_" Giratina opined.

"_No!_" Mew, Ho-Oh, Lugia, Ash and many other guardians protested.

"We're the guardians, Giratina, we don't crush people!" Ironically, it one of the youngest guardians reminding this to the oldest. The eon twins nodded in agreement with Ash.

Giratina grinned deviously. "_Then let's wake up daddy!_"

"_That's not much better. Not helping, Giratina!_" Mew said, eye twitching. The last thing they needed was for Arceus to awaken right now.

"_What is your suggestion, Mew?_" Ho-Oh asked. She knew Mew would have the best course of action ready.

"_I suggest we guard the orbs closely. A direct confrontation is out of the question, as humans have proven to be capable of restraining legendaries with their technology. Moreover, we are guardians, and we cannot simply attack humans for their lack of knowledge._" Mew said, agreeing with Ash.

"_How about we take the orbs back to our own dimensions? The humans can't ever hope to control us without them!_" Palkia asked.

"_How are we supposed to contact you if the orbs are with you, Palkia?_" Ho-Oh asked.

"_Can't he...?_" Palkia asked, motioning towards Ash.

"_He has not yet learned to call upon Arceus' aura._" Lucario informed Palkia.

"_Oh._" Palkia visibly deflated. _There goes the easy solution._

Ash frowned. "_What do you mean, I haven't learned to control aura?_"

"_What you use now is your own aura, Ash._" Mew clarified, now addressing him. "_You will need to learn to access and use Arceus' aura as well._"

"Wait... I have _two _auras in me?" Ash asked, shocked.

"_In the essence, yes._" Lucario informed him. "_I'll teach you to access the aura of the Original One once you get good enough with forming shields._"

"_Please hurry, Lucario._" Mew urged. "_Time is of the essence._"

Lucario nodded. Ash steeled his resolve to work harder. The world is at stake. Again.

"_If we can't send the orbs to another dimension, then this is what I propose._" Kyogre spoke up. "_I shall place the Adamant orb in the deepest trench of the ocean. I will guard it from there._"

"_I shall place the Lustrous Orb deep within the Earth, and protect it._" Groudon added, quickly picking up on Kyogre's idea.

"_And the Griseous Orb shall be taken to the sky pillar, where I shall guard it." _Rayquaza finished. Many legendaries looked relieved at the suggestion. They were confident that humans wouldn't be able to take it if it were that secure.

"_You underestimate the humans. That was the mistake we have always made in the past." _Mew said seriously. "_They have means to track those orbs, and we know they were once able to control you. We cannot risk that."_

"_They can find the orbs even if we place them at such locations?_" Rayquaza asked, horrified.

"_Yes. They do it with something called 'sat a lights'." _Mew explained.

"_Satellites_" Mewtwo clarified, eye twitching slightly.

"_That's what I said._" Mew told him. Ash sweat dropped.

"_Then what should we do, if we cannot protect it?" _Lugia asked.

"_What I meant that we shouldn't be the only ones protecting it. Humans know more about humans than we do. I suggest we let them protect it._"

"_What? But that would make the orbs all the more easier to find._" Shaymin protested.

"_As we know, finding it is not much of a problem for humans. They already have custody of the Adamant Orb, and are close to finding the Lustrous orb. I suggest we let them safeguard it. There is an organization called the Pokémon G-Men dedicated to putting an end to criminal organizations like this. They already have a close watch over the Adamant orb, and after today, they'll increase the security exponentially."_

"_Why would they suddenly increase security?_" Cressalia wondered.

"_Because the Adamant Orb suddenly and mysteriously vanished in the morning._" Mew said with a devious grin. "_They'll be going nuts to find it as we speak. When I return it to its place, they'll put much more effort to guarding it._"

"_Are you sure we can trust these people?_" Darkrai asked sceptically.

"_Absolutely. I even joined up with them to guide them in the right track from the background._" Mew assured Darkrai.

"_What?!" _Ho-Oh and Lugia exclaimed together. Mew grinned widely.

"_Wait..._" Latios spoke up. "_If humans can use satellites to find the orbs, why haven't they found all of them yet?_"

"_The ones searching for the orbs now are just archaeologists. The people who have access to the satellite do not believe in these legends and do not think it is a matter worth focussing their attention._" Mewtwo clarified. "_But the leader of Team Galactic has the power and influence to use those resources._"

"Speaking of which, who is the leader of Team Galactic?" Ash asked. "Did you find that out?"

"_Yes._" Mew answered, with hesitation clear in her voice. "_I want you all to promise you will not attack him if I show you. He does not actively target all the legendaries now, but if you attack him, not only are you putting yourselves in danger, but every other guardian as well._"

"_I don't like it, but if you say so._" Giratina voiced her compliance. The others too nodded, as they couldn't put everyone at risk by outright attacking him.

"_The leader of Team Galactic is a Sinnoh businessman named Cyrus Akagi._" Mew told them. "_Latias, I will form a mental link with you. Please use your sight sharing so that everyone can see them._"

Latias nodded. Mew and Latias' eyes glowed blue and the scenery around them changed abruptly. They now saw some sort of a human meeting hall filled with people. What attracted everyone's attention was the man at the centre, who they now identified as the leader of Team Galactic. They also saw four other people near him, who looked different from the other uniformed grunts in the room.

"_The ones near Cyrus are the commanders of Team Galactic._" Mew explained as the scene dissolved. "_Be wary of them. Especially you, Ash. Chances are you may come across one or more of them, as you're travelling in Sinnoh._"

Ash nodded. "I'll be careful, thank you Mew."

"_So the Adamant and Lustrous Orbs will be left to the care of humans._" Celebi concluded. "_What about the Griseous Orb?_"

"_Let it remain in Turnback Cave. I suggest that Mewtwo and Darkrai protect it._" Lugia opined.

"_Me!?_" Mewtwo exclaimed. "_Why? And why with him?_" He asked, pointing to Darkrai. He was a Psychic type, after all. He was reasonably paranoid about being near Darkrai.

"_Yes._" Darkrai narrowed his eyes. "_Why with him?_"

"Mewtwo knows about human technology the most." Ash said suddenly, recalling the memories of New Island.

"_Correct, Ash._" Mew agreed with a smile. She turned to Mewtwo and Darkrai. "_Not only that, you are one of our strongest. Darkrai, you can complement Mewtwo's skills and you're equally as strong. Together, I have high hopes in your defence."_

"_Alright, but we take shifts._" Mewtwo agreed warily.

"_Agreed. You can take the daytime and I will guard it at night._" Darkrai suggested. "_I will be in the town of Alamos during the day._" Mewtwo nodded. Acceptable.

_Not exactly what I hoped, but hey, you can't win it all. _Mew thought to herself.

"_Azelf, Mesprit and Uxie, be on high alert at the lakes._" Ho-Oh adviced the lake guardians. "_I suggest we back them up as well._"

"_Agreed. You should contact us if you're in need of help._" Mew told them, and received nods. "_Lugia and Ho-Oh, I need you two to be in Sinnoh for a while. Can you shift and watch over the two orbs that are with humans whenever possible? They will guard them actively, but we should help them whenever necessary. And all of you who live in Sinnoh, please patrol near the lakes occasionally. Regigigas, you can stay at Snowpoint, as the lake needs protecting too._"

"_We will do our best._" Lugia promised. Ho-Oh nodded in agreement.

"_I will reside in the Coronet area for now._" Heatran informed them. He had access to all the lakes from there.

"_I and Shaymin can get there when necessary._" Cressalia assured them.

"_Onto special duty._" Mew said. "_Suicune and Zapados, guard Lake Verity. Entei and Articuno, station yourselves near Acuity. Raikou and Moltress, you two guard Valor._"

_"Yes Ma'am!" _The elemental beasts and birds gave their acceptance to their tasks. Johto and Kanto can survive a while without them.

"_Latios, you can help me in coordinating everyone. I will contact you whenever necessary._" Mew told the dragon's spirit. Latios nodded, relieved that he could help.

Ash felt a sense of security and comradeship upon seeing all the legends eagerly agreeing to the tasks given. He felt incredibly proud to be part of them. "Is there something we can do?" Ash asked. Latias nodded, also wondering how they could help.

"_You're the last line of defence._" Mew said seriously. "_If all else fails, you're the only one who can break the Creation Trio free of human control. We need you to be able to fully utilize Arceus' Aura when required. I realize I'm asking a lot out of you, Ash, and I'm very sorry. But this crisis came at a time we didn't expect. Latias, please help Ash in whatever way possible, he needs all the help he can get. Train your powers to their full potential and be ready to defend him when the time comes. Also, please teach Ash how to contact the other guardians via telepathy. He'll need to use it._"

"_You can count on us, Mew!_" Latias said determinedly.

"I promise, I'll do my best to learn and use Arceus' aura! Don't worry about it." Ash said. Mew nodded, relieved.

"_I will continue undercover investigation with humans. I'm getting a lot of information on what to expect from Team Galactic. Whenever any of you need me, call and I will answer._" Mew told them. Everyone nodded. Mew felt much lighter at heart knowing that everyone will be doing their jobs with the greatest care. She hoped it would be enough.

"_Mewtwo, Darkrai, take the Griseous Orb to Turnback cave and do your best to protect it from now._" Mew handed the orb to Mewtwo, who nodded and accepted it reverently.

"_I will relieve you and take over the duty at twilight._" Darkrai informed him, to which Mewtwo nodded. Darkrai disappeared with the shadows and Mewtwo vanished from sight.

Mew floated to the centre again and spoke up one final time. "_The meeting is now dispersed._ _Guardians, mobilize! We have a world to defend!_"

This was met with deafening roars of support from all the guardians. Team Galactic chose the wrong legends to mess with.

"_Take care, sister. You too, Ash. And thank you for looking after her._" Latios said, and vanished in a bright light. Latias' eyes moistened, but maintained her composure. Ash put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"_Be careful, and keep your eyes open._" Mew told them. "_Oh, and Ash, I need a small favour before you go._"

* * *

**Mt. Coronet, Hidden Base**

"Thank Goodness." Lance breathed a sigh of relief after the latest phone call.

"Mphf?" Noland's question was inaudible, as his mouth was neatly tied by some superstitious commanders.

"The Adamant Orb has returned to the Eterna Museum. Riley confirmed that it was indeed taken by Mew." Lance informed them, causing the commanders to be relieved of tension.

"He also said that the orb came with a note." Lance added, smiling slightly.

"A note?" Cynthia asked.

"Apparently. It said 'That was way too easy. Is that the best you can do?'" Lance looked confused if he should laugh or cry. The commanders snorted in amusement.

"I wonder what Mew needed it for?" Goodshow asked to no one in particular.

"More importantly, Mew knows to write English?" Steven asked wonderingly.

The meeting was enveloped by a brief silence as everyone pondered that.

Sabrina sneezed suddenly, causing everyone to look at her. "Excuse me." She said, blushing slightly in embarrassment.

"We can't let the guardians show us up now can we?" Lance asked his friends.

"Of course not!" Flint curled his fists, grinning broadly. "Let's show them what the best trainers in the world can do!"

"Right!" Lance said, regaining his energy. "I will begin undercover investigations as of today. Looker from Interpol is joining me."

"You could still use help. Call Duplica along as well. She's quite good with that, perhaps even better than you Lance." Brandon suggested.

"Mmph." Noland agreed. Everyone sweat dropped.

"Brandon, can you move to Sinnoh for a while to keep a closer watch?" Goodshow asked.

"Can do. I was thinking of it anyway." Brandon nodded.

"Our Research Team in Celestic believes they are close to discovering the Lustrous Orb. When we find it, I will keep a close watch over it." Cynthia informed them. The others nodded. They had seen the preliminary results of the excavation.

"I'll help with the excavation then." Steven said. "But I can only come occasionally. Challengers, you know. We can shift the watch in that area." He suggested. Cynthia nodded. She could use help.

"Wouldn't it be a bit suspicious if all of us suddenly move in like that?" Wallace asked.

"We'll keep a low profile. Steven has a valid excuse. He's interested in archaeology." Lance told them. "In addition, we will deploy agents throughout Sinnoh."

"Team Galactic won't know what hit them." Drake grinned.

* * *

**Hearthome City Valley**

"Do you really think they'll come back soon, Brock? It's been more than two hours." Dawn muttered, poking her breakfast.

"They will. Its breakfast time." Brock said, as if it explained everything. It did, really.

"And it smells great!" A voice exclaimed. Everyone snapped their heads towards the source of the voice to find Ash drooling over the food. Pikachu, Lita and Lucario stood near him, unsure how to react.

"_Why _am I not surprised?" Anabel asked herself.

Ash walked forward like nothing had happened and innocently sat at the breakfast table. "Bon appetit!" He muttered, before ploughing down his food. Lita joined them in the table, following Ash's example. Dawn looked at them incredulously while Brock just shook his head with a smile.

"So what did Mew want with you, oh mighty Guardians?" Ritchie asked with a smirk.

_Guardians? Oh, snap. _Ash and Lita choked their food, noticing the plural. Anabel and Ritchie to burst out laughing, soon joined by the rest of the group.

Espeon laughed wickedly while munching her breakfast. _Busted!_

* * *

**Post A/N: Thank you, Shaydrall, for beta reading this chapter.**

**Special Thanks to Writer Under Training for leaving me an excellent 400th review! You rock! Readers, if you're a fan of good battles, and I know many of you are, I highly recommend his fanfic 'Road to be a Pokémon Master'. It has some of the best battles I've ever read!**

**You might find a small inconsistency with the timeline. I've tweaked it slightly so that Lucario's era and Arceus's downfall were at the same period. It fits canon, as they do not mention a specific period.**

Guess who wrote the note? Hint: It wasn't Mew.

This was the largest chapter to date. How was it? Please review and tell me! I did my best to answer all the reviews for the last chapter. It would be great if the guest reviewers left me some way to reply to them if they ask me a question =D

Again, please review! What was your favourite part in this chapter? What part did you like the least? How much would you rate this chapter? I'd like to know these things to better my writing style.


	17. Entity of Darkness

**WARNING: Chapter is not beta read, since my beta is temporarily unable to...**

**Author's Note: Hello everyone! A million 'Thank you' to everyone for supporting this story!**

**To all of you Naruto fans, I would like to inform you that I have started a Naruto fic called 'Shadow Reincarnation.' Please check it out!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. The characters and other elements of this story are the copyrighted property of Pokémon or its affiliates and licensors. This fan fiction is purely for enjoyment and no desire of profit comes out of it.**

**Chapter 17**

**Entity of Darkness**

"Scyther, use Quick Attack!"

"Espeon, use Shadow Ball on Scyther!"

"Rose, use Air Slash on Espeon!"

A Scyther flew at high speeds towards a pink, catlike Pokémon, easily identifiable as an Espeon. Upon her trainer's command, a dark purple ball of energy formed near Espeon's mouth, growing in power by the second. The psychic cat released the Shadow Ball towards its intended target, only to get hit by an Air Slash from behind. The source of the Air Slash proved to be a Swellow, who gave a cry of triumph at the successful attack. Scyther saw the incoming Shadow Ball just in time and performed a swift aerial dodge. The Shadow Ball struck a rock a short distance away and harmlessly exploded.

"Ash's Scyther is one speedy Pokémon!" Dawn commented, watching the three way battle in progress.

"Scyther is a Pokémon known for speed. Still, it's impressive he can keep up with Anabel and Ritchie's more experienced Pokémon." Brock agreed, also keenly observing the training session. Late that evening Ash, Anabel and Ritchie had agreed on a three way free for all battle. They found a suitable location on their way to Solaceon Town. Ash chose the Scyther he captured in the Viridian Forest, Ritchie chose his Swellow named Rose, and Anabel chose her Espeon.

"Scyther, use Night Slash on Rose!"

Upon his trainer's command, Scyther flew up to Rose's level and prepared for Night Slash. Dark energy accumulated in his scythes and he slashed the air in front of him, releasing the attack. Quickly covering the distance, the Night Slash impacted Rose and she let out a pained screech.

"Now Espeon, use Zap Cannon on Rose!"

Eager for revenge, Espeon immediately complied. The gem in her forehead began to glow, and a yellow green orb of energy formed in front of her. Espeon fired the attack towards Rose, who was still disoriented from the earlier Night Slash.

"Use Quick Attack straight down to get away!" In a seemingly suicidal move, Rose descended at high speeds towards the ground, avoiding the Zap Cannon.

"Switch to Aerial Ace!" Ritchie immediately followed.

Rose did a sharp ninety degree turn near the ground, heading straight for Espeon. For a second, Rose disappeared from view, only to ram into Espeon with the Quick Attack powered Aerial Ace.

"Scyther, Vacuum Wave on Rose!" Ash immediately took the chance to land a hit on Ritchie's Pokémon. Scyther spun mid-air while his scythes glowed white, and released the attack. The Vacuum Wave sped towards Rose, and hit her from behind.

"Now, Psychic!" Anabel commanded. Espeon's eyes glowed as her Psychic powers restrained Rose and began to crush her.

"Rose, try to get out!" Ritchie shouted. But struggle as she may, Espeon's Psychic hold remained strong.

"Now use Wing Attack!" Ash again took the opportunity to knock out the biggest threat on the field for him. Scyther sped towards Rose while his wings glowed white. Unable to break free, Rose was hit with Syther's attack as well, but still refused to go down.

"Hyper Beam!" Anabel immediately followed. Espeon immediately charged up the Hyper Beam and fired it towards her opponents.

"Get out of the way!" Ash and Ritchie both shouted, but the attack engulfed their Pokémon before they had time to react. The resulting explosion cleared to show an unconscious Swellow and a clearly damaged Scyther. Ritchie recalled his Pokémon and thanked her for a well fought battle.

"Scyther, get close to Espeon and use Fury Cutter!" Ash instructed. Despite his injuries, Scyther covered the distance in seconds and began slashing Espeon with his scythes. Still exhausted from the Hyper Beam, Espeon had no choice but to be damaged by the effective move.

"Follow up with X-Scissor!" Ash ordered. Scyther crossed his scythes and tried to attack, but found himself unable to move.

"Excellent job, Espeon!" Anabel cheered, watching Scyther struggle against the Psychic hold. "Now use Zap Cannon!" she followed.

The Psychic hold was released for a second. Before Scyther had a chance to react, however, the Zap Cannon engulfed him completely. The miniature explosion cleared to show an unconscious Scyther, thus ending the three way battle.

"Great job, Scyther." Ash smiled as he recalled his fallen Pokémon. Even though he didn't win the battle, Scyther demonstrated great speed and synchronized reasonably well with his trainer. Anabel and Ritchie used their experienced Pokémon, and Ash was proud that Scyther lasted this long.

"That was a great battle!" Lita exclaimed. "Looks like Scyther will have to work on endurance, though."

"Yeah." Ash agreed. "I haven't battled with him much, but we'll fix that soon." He said confidently.

Anabel returned Espeon for some rest and joined the group. "So I guess we'll go get some sleep now?" She glanced up at the moon. They had hardly noticed the time during their training.

"Yeah, I think we're done here." Brock announced, packing up in preparation to leave.

Lucario wearily eyed an oddly shaped stone formation nearby. He could sense residual aura from the makeshift stone tower. Aura is the energy of life, so stone isn't supposed to have it. The fact that this odd construct did meant something was amiss. Probing a little deeper, Lucario found that the aura acted as a sort of a containment field around the central structure. Try as he may, he couldn't find what was inside it.

"What is it, Lucario?" Lita asked, noticing that Lucario hadn't prepared to leave with the rest of them.

"_I can sense Aura emanating from that tower."_ Lucario replied. _"Yet I cannot find a source of life for that to happen."_

Startled, Ash realized that Lucario was right. He had noticed the tower before, but he hadn't given it a second thought. But clearly, something was very much off about the tower. He walked towards the tower, curious to find out what was causing it.

"_Ash, be careful. That tower has some purpose. I would not recommend disturbing it._" Lucario cautioned.

"Come on, Lucario! It's just a bunch of rocks!" Ash kneeled in front of the tower and, despite Lucario's protests, ran his fingers through the structure. He could get a better feel of the aura now that he was in contact with it. Extending his senses, he willed his aura to connect with that of the tower. At the moment of contact, images flooded Ash's mind, as if he had opened a video message. He saw a Pikachu, not unlike his own, battling another Pokémon. In all his travels, Ash had never seen anything like it. The ghostlike Pokémon had an odd shape for sure. It looked like a levitating rock with a purple translucent face, with green orbs littered around it. The aura surrounding the structure told him that the Pokémon was called Spiritomb, a malevolent being that caused destruction and despair wherever it went. The structure has been acting as a prison for the said Pokémon, and the aura acting as the lock of the said prison.

Ash could see that the structure had weathered countless storms and the aura itself felt centuries old. He wondered if any Pokémon deserved to be locked up for this long. He was reminded of his own Lucario's case of being sealed away for nearly two millennia, and didn't want any other Pokémon to go through the same loneliness. _Spiritomb deserves another chance._ Ash decided.

"Are you sure Ash will be okay?" Ritchie asked Lucario, as Ash was seemingly frozen after touching the miniature tower.

"_Yes. He is merely interacting with the aura and learning its story." _Lucario explained. His eyes widened as he saw Ash repositioning himself and extending both his arms so that his palms were in contact with the surface.

"Now what's he up to?" Anabel asked. Granted, she didn't understand exactly what 'learning its story' meant, but figured it was a guardian thing. Ash seemed to have forgotten their presence completely.

"_He's trying to dispel the aura field surrounding the tower."_ Lucario said, recognizing the build-up ofaura surrounding Ash. _I hope he knows that his action could have grave consequences. Still, I need to have faith in him. It is not up to me to dictate the actions of a guardian._

Having steeled his resolve, Ash willed his aura to accumulate in his palms. He didn't know exactly how to open the metaphorical prison, but forcing his own aura to dispel the other aura seemed to be the logical way. As aura built up in his palms, the aura surrounding the tower began acting up. Ash watched as the world around him seemed to dissolve and a void take its place. He blinked as a man clad in green appeared before him.

"_Guardian, I know not your purpose in disturbing this tower. But be warned, the power and malice of Spiritomb is great. If you choose to release him, you and you alone shall be responsible for its future actions. You will be bound by your code as an Aura Guardian to see that others are not harmed by your actions."_

Ash gulped nervously and hoped he was doing the right thing. _"I understand" _he replied, though he highly doubted that the image of the now identified Aura guardian was capable of hearing him. If anything, this was more like a Time Flower, left as a message and warning. Concentrating again, Ash released a single pulse of aura that spread throughout the structure. He immediately retraced his hand, as the structure began to glow.

"Ash, what did you do?" Dawn asked, uncomfortable with the eerily glowing tower.

"I released Spiritomb, I think." Ash answered, forgetting that his friends were not privy to the information he had just garnered on the history of the tower. Lucario, however, widened his eyes. _He's releasing a Spiritomb?_

"Spiritomb?" Anabel repeated, recalling the extremely rare Pokémon that she had once seen in the Sinnoh Champion's possession. She wondered what Ash meant by releasing Spiritomb.

Ash was saved from answering the question by a sudden and unexpected weather change. Dark clouds gathered around the makeshift campsite, quickly blocking the starlight. Soon, the moon itself hid behind the clouds, causing the area to be engulfed in darkness.

_Maybe I should have interfered. _Lucario thought, sweat dropping. Ash's knack for attracting trouble was greater than Sir Aaron's, and that was saying something.

Lightning struck the still glowing tower, briefly illuminating the area. The group shielded their eyes from the intense light. The glow surrounding the tower intensified as the lightning receded. The tower structure crumbled as a stone shot out from it. Oddly enough, this particular stone seemed to have two purple eyes, and the purple glow that came from a crack running through it gave it a creepy look. The most bizarre thing was that the stone was _floating. _A translucent, purple gas spread around the stone, and green orbs began to form in it. The gas like substance and the orbs were spiralling, while the keystone remained floating. As the group continued to gape at this strange phenomenon, something akin to a face took shape in the gas.

_It is a Spiritomb! _Anabel thought in awe, recognizing the Pokémon she had seen once before.

'I am free!' Spiritomb's voice boomed ominously. Those who could not understand his speech merely heard the name "Spiritomb!" Looking around, Spiritomb found that he was far from alone. He was surrounded by humans and Pokémon, a situation he didn't like one bit. Upon spotting a Pikachu, Spiritomb did a double take. _No, this isn't that Pikachu. _Spiritomb thought to himself, half relieved and half disappointed. His face morphed into a snarl when he saw the human with the Pikachu. He could feel the aura around that boy. _Another guardian with a Pikachu._ Spiritomb thought angrily, recalling his last battle and his subsequent imprisonment.

"Spiritomb!" Ash shouted, catching the Pokémon's attention again. "I didn't want you to be imprisoned forever for something you did in the past. That's why I released you from that tower. Will you promise to not hurt anyone after this?"

_So that's what happened. _Spiritomb thought. _This guardian expects me to obey him? Ha! I will show him that I am not to be trifled with!_

'I am not your plaything, Guardian!' Spiritomb's disembodied voice boomed again. Though it broke the eerie silence that had descended, it produced an ominous effect throughout the clearing. 'Your kind will pay for their actions!'

"Uh oh." Anabel was quick to pick up the unfriendly demeanour of their ghostly acquaintance. She took a step back, prompting the others to do the same. Ash stood rooted to his spot, determined to see this through.

_There are too many. Engaging them together would be foolish. _Spiritomb decided. His eyes landed on the seemingly youngest member of the group, accompanied only by a Piplup. Hatching a plan, his form emanated a purplish light with surprising intensity.

* * *

As the light slowly receded, Dawn looked at the spot Spiritomb had occupied seconds ago._ Where did he go?_ Dawn thought frantically. Looking around, she realized that she was now alone in the clearing.

"Ash! Brock! Hello?" Dawn shouted out to her friends. "Ritchie? Anabel?"

Eerie silence greeted her. Not a single sound was heard in the clearing that was occupied with her friends and Pokémon just moments ago. Dawn held Piplup close, as the reality of the situation sunk in. She was apparently alone in the forest in the middle of the night because of something that the scary Pokémon had done.

"Piplup?" Her sole companion looked equally confused at the turn of events. Deciding that this was an ample opportunity to demonstrate his bravery, Piplup struggled free of Dawn's hold and landed on the ground.

"Piplup! What are you doing?" Dawn asked in alarm. Piplup merely patted his chest confidently, uttering his name. Turning around, he ran towards the forest, convinced that their friends were hiding somewhere deep in the woods.

"Wait! How many times have I told you to not run off like that?" Dawn chased after the penguin Pokémon, momentarily forgetting the situation. The little water type starter rushed into a nearby foliage, with Dawn trailing after him. Heedless to his trainer's wishes, Piplup jumped fallen trees, low lying branches and bushes, running in the direction his instincts led him to. Dawn struggled to keep up with the energetic water type, finding it much more difficult to navigate among the clustered trees. By some work of miracle, she managed to keep track of her beloved starter in the faint moonlight seeping through the clouds. Risking a jump, Dawn managed to catch Piplup before he navigated a turn. Dawn and Piplup tumbled in the momentum of her jump, and landed in a heap on the unforgiving forest floor.

"Oww! Don't ever do that again, Piplup! Please." Dawn chided. No matter how many times she tried to tell him, Piplup never seemed to lose the tendency of wanting to prove himself by running off somewhere.

"Pip. Piplup." Piplup bowed his head in what Dawn assumed to be a gesture of shame or apology. She patted the tiny water type's head in comfort, already feeling a twinge of regret at the scolding. Now fully taking in the surroundings, Dawn realized that they were truly in the deep woods. The eerie silence that had descended upon the night haunted them here too, for they couldn't even hear the light rustle of tree leaves in the wind. The cold night air further accentuated the loneliness she felt. Holding her starter even closer than before, Dawn felt her heart rate quicken. She had no idea which way to go to get back to the clearing, nor the faintest clue as to where she was. The thought of being lost in the forest in the dark of the night with that strange Pokémon truly terrified her.

An ominous human like laugh caused Dawn to jump out of her skin in fright. "Wh-Who's there?" Dawn shouted, or rather tried to, as her voice was quivering because of fright. The disembodied laughter continued, and Dawn began to sweat slightly out of fear. With another malevolent chuckle, Spiritomb showed himself right in front of Dawn, causing the latter to jump and back away in trepidation. Piplup jumped protectively in front of Dawn, taking a battle stance.

'You will fight me, little Piplup?' Spiritomb asked mockingly. 'I am the King of darkness, incarnation of evil! For centuries I have fed off of fear and despair! You know not the extent of my power, for you would not be as brave if you did!' With this, Spiritomb promptly formed a Shadow Ball and hurled it at Piplup. Dawn shouted for Piplup to get out of the way, but the warning came too late. As the resulting explosion cleared, Piplup lay on the ground, had clearly fainted from the strong attack.

Dawn rushed towards her fallen starter and took Piplup in her arms, worriedly looking at the injuries caused by his valiant effort to defend her. "I'm so sorry Piplup." Dawn mumbled. She forgot her fear and glared at the imposing Pokémon before her.

"I don't care how strong you are!" Her glare intensified as anger seeped into her voice. "You shouldn't have hurt Piplup!" She took out the Pokéball of the strongest Pokémon in her possession. "Buizel, teach this Pokémon a lesson he'll never forget!"

Buizel materialized in front of his trainer, ready to take on whatever was the challenge he had to overcome. He eyed the odd Pokémon in front of him wearily, having never seen something akin to it.

'The little pipsqueak is replaced by a marginally competent Pokémon.' Spiritomb noted. 'But still not enough to match me!' With this, he concentrated his energy in front of him to form a ball of pure power. Channelling a good amount of power to the Hyper Beam, he launched it at Buizel.

Though irked at being referred to as marginally competent, Buizel began to worry as the Hyper Beam grew in size and power. He knew the markings of a strong attack, and the attack he was about to face would perhaps be too much for him to handle. He realized that perhaps he really was out of his league at the moment, for his opponent seemed to be not at all concerned. He worried about the safety of Dawn, who was standing a few feet behind him. Dawn too, sensed her Pokémon's distress, and she could clearly see the power behind the overwhelming attack.

"Buizel, get out of the way!" Dawn frantically commanded. Buizel shook his head emphatically in the negative, refusing to abandon his cornered trainer for his own safety. Dawn had no way of avoiding the attack if he didn't take the brunt of it. He fired a Water Gun towards the incoming attack, hoping to slow it down. This didn't do much to hinder the attack though, and Buizel closed his eyes awaiting the imminent impact.

Everything seemed lost as the Hyper Beam got dangerously close to Buizel. A moment before it hit, however, the attack stopped in its tracks. Dawn blinked in confusion, as this was an unusual occurrence indeed. For some reason, the Hyper Beam then began to bend upwards. The beam of power shot towards the heavens, leaving Dawn and Piplup unharmed.

Spiritomb looked at the turn of events in equal confusion, but his mind supplied the answer to this phenomenon. _A psychic. A strong one at that._ As if proving his conjecture to be true, a red and white Pokémon descended and fell into a protective stance in front of Dawn and Buizel. Upon seeing the majestic eon dragon, Dawn let out a sigh of relief. "L-Latias!" She exclaimed. They were saved.

* * *

**A few minutes ago, with Ash.**

As the eerie purple light receded, Ash looked at his surroundings in confusion. He couldn't see his friends anywhere nearby. His aura senses also seemed to be reflecting his confusion, for they seemed to be picking up something odd.

"Pikachu, what happened?" Ash asked his faithful yellow rodent, who was the only one with him at the moment.

'Looked like Spiritomb used some sort of an attack.' Pikachu said thoughtfully. 'It looked like a ghost type, so I wouldn't be surprised if this is all some kind of a trick.'

"_It is a trick." _A voice interrupted their conversation. Ash easily identified Lucario's telepathy, even though he could not see him anywhere.

"_Lucario, where are you?_" Ash asked through his mind, as this seemed to be the only reliable means to communicate with him at the moment.

"_I have not moved from my earlier position."_ Lucario's voice informed him. _"We were subject to Spiritomb's Confuse Ray. The attack is indeed a strong one, for all of us seems to be under his illusion."_

"_So... what do we do?" _Ash asked. He truthfully had little idea how Pokémon snapped out of such attacks.

"_We have to disturb the area around us with energy. That should dispel the illusion." _Lucario described the easiest method to counter the attack. _"Pulse your aura and let it ripple through the surroundings, as if you are attempting to form an ever growing shield around you. I will do the same."_

Ash nodded, but remembered Lucario couldn't see him. _"Right. Ready?" _He asked.

"_Yes. Let's do it now!" _

With that, Ash concentrated his aura to a single point inside him, compressing it as much as he can. Then he released the built up energy inside, giving an extra push as it left his body. A hemispherical dome of aura surrounded him, increasing in size by the second. He suddenly felt his aura making contact with Lucario's, signifying that Lucario too had released his aura to his surroundings. As the two domes collided, a miniature shockwave rippled through the air, and the sky itself seemed to waver. The scenery around him shifted as if it were washed away, and Ash was greeted by the sight of his mostly confused friends. It felt as if they were invisible until this point.

"_That was Confuse Ray, right?" _Lita asked the group at large, also having witnessed the turn of events. She was about to dispel the illusion herself, but Ash and Lucario beat her to it.

"Yeah." Ash nodded. He frowned as he looked around. "Wait. Where's Dawn?"

The others had also realized that they were indeed missing a member. Dawn seemed to have disappeared from her spot, while the others had not moved. Lita stretched her Psychic senses as far as it could go, searching the area for Dawn's presence. She soon found her, and her empathetic abilities picked up Dawn's terrified state of mind. Snapping her eyes open, Lita immediately transformed to her true form. _"She's in trouble!"_ Latias said urgently. _"Follow me!" _With that, Latias zoomed into the forest with a speed unseen by the human eye.

A second later, everyone realized that they had no way of keeping up with the swift legendary. Ash probed his surroundings and found that Latias had left a Psychic trail of sorts so that they would know where she went.

"Let's go!" Ash told the group, and headed towards the woods nearby. The unknown Aura Guardian's words repeated in his mind. '_You and you alone will be responsible for its actions.' _ This situation was his fault, and he would rectify it no matter what. Ash rushed ahead first, and Lucario followed immediately after. The group as a whole took that path, hoping to keep up with the guardian and his Lucario.

* * *

**Presently, with Dawn**

Spiritomb backed away in shock at the sight of the furious eon dragon. _Oh no. Not her!_ That intimidating glare, that presence; he was familiar with it, for he had been on the receiving end of it before. The Guardian dragoness of the Lands of Water had left quite an impression on Spiritomb during their last encounter, leading him to vow to himself never to underestimate a psychic Pokémon again. The ancient legendary had defeated him in a thoroughly humiliating manner, and the ease with which that was done had scared him. The number of entities Spiritomb was afraid of were scarce, but the Gods and the legendary guardians were definitely among them.

Latias frowned in confusion upon feeling the terror rolling off of Spiritomb. If she didn't know better, she would have thought that Spiritomb was shaking in fright. _Well, I am a legendary Pokémon, after all. _Latias thought smugly. She unconsciously adjusted her posture to look even more imposing, if that was possible.

The fleeting moment of confusion he had seen in Latias' face promptly led Spiritomb to reassess his opponent. In his shock, he hadn't taken the time to fully take in the legendary's appearance. Now that he did, it was clear that Latias looked smaller than he remembered. The resemblances were remarkable, but this clearly is not the Pokémon who had defeated him all those centuries ago. Spiritomb unconsciously relaxed and felt relieved, confident of his chances once again.

"_Spiritomb!" _Latias said in the most authoritative tone she could manage. _"Stop this behaviour at once! I shall not allow you to hurt your fellow Pokémon and humans!"_

Spiritomb was taken aback by the telepathy Latias demonstrated. The voice was young, but the telepathy confirmed a hypothesis Spiritomb had been playing with for the last few seconds. 'You are her offspring.' Spiritomb said in distaste. 'So _she_ is no more and there is a new guardian among their ranks.'

Latias weighed the implications of Spiritomb's words. _"You knew my mother?"_ Latias asked, a bit hopefully. She knew virtually nothing about her parents, but it was possible that an ancient Pokémon like Spiritomb did. Lucario hadn't been much help in that respect, as he hadn't interacted much with her parents all those centuries ago. She felt a twinge of pride upon realizing that the terror Spiritomb had was because he had mistaken her for her mother.

'_Know' isn't the word I would use. _Spiritomb thought. _'_It matters not. You are far too young to be of a threat to me.' He said, his self-confidence restored. Something was to be said about the arrogance of the ancient Pokémon on facing a legendary and claiming to be unafraid.

Latias was more annoyed than anything at Spirtomb's change in demeanour. _Where was this confidence hiding a few seconds ago? _She thought, inwardly smirking to herself.

"_After I'm done with you, Spiritomb, you will learn not to underestimate any Pokémon ever again. Your cheap illusory tricks won't work on me!" _Latias' eyes glowed blue as she said this, and she released a wave of Psychic to the surroundings. As Dawn watched in awe, the world around her shattered like a glass dome, and a much more 'normal' one took its place. The moonlight now shone in the woods, and she could now hear the sounds associated with nightlife. The spooky air had all but vanished, replaced by a serene one. Much to her relief, she found that Ash and the rest of her friends were sprinting towards her.

"Dawn, are you okay?" Ash asked, relieved that they had found her apparently unharmed.

"Yeah." Dawn replied, relief evident in her voice. "Piplup ran off and we just got a little lost, that's all. Latias saved us from Spiritomb's attack." She wiped some sweat from her brow, finding her strength returning.

Ash glared at Spiritomb. "Why did you attack them?" He demanded.

'Not your concern, Guardian.' Spiritomb replied coldly. 'You will all know my power. You shall not be spared.' He said, locking eyes with Ash. Ash could clearly sense the hate directed towards him and Pikachu.

"_When you try to hurt others, it becomes our concern." _Latias replied firmly, preparing herself for the imminent battle.

'I want to fight them.' Spiritomb demanded, his eyes never leaving Ash and Pikachu. The similarities they shared with his captor caused hatred to bubble inside of him.

Latias was taken aback by the animosity Spiritomb had towards her trainer and Pikachu. Spiritomb was malicious by nature, but he seemed to have a deeper level of hatred towards Ash and Pikachu. She eyed the duo uncertainly, silently asking them what the story was.

"I'll tell you guys after this is over." Ash nodded towards Latias. "For now, let's just say that Spiritomb had an unpleasant history with another Aura Guardian with a Pikachu. We'll battle him if that's okay with you, Latias?"

Latias nodded slowly. Even though she hadn't seen Ash command Pikachu for a battle in quite a while, she knew that their coordination was extraordinary. Besides that, Pikachu was one of Ash's strongest and most experienced Pokémon, after Lucario. She was confident in their chances. "Just be careful." She said, and moved so as to give them some space. The other trainers and Pokémon, recognizing the markings of a battle, cleared the area so that they wouldn't get in the way.

"Pikachu," Ash grinned, remembering that this was the first time he was going to explicitly command Pikachu for a battle after they reached Sinnoh. "I choose you!"

"Pika!" Pikachu jumped high from his position in Ash's shoulder, performed a somersault in mid air and landed on the ground, his cheeks sparking. _That must've looked so cool! _He thought to himself, grinning.

"_This should be interesting." _Lucario said, very much eager to see Ash and Pikachu in action.

"Aren't you worried about Spiritomb?" Anabel asked. "It is a powerful Pokémon, from what I know."

"Spiritomb, huh?" Ritchie muttered, scanning the strange Pokémon with his Pokédex.

"Spiritomb, the Forbidden Pokémon. As punishment for misdeeds five hundred years ago, Spiritomb was sealed in the fissure of an Odd Keystone." The Dex told him.

"Well, that's not much info." Ritchie said disappointedly. "But it says here it's a Dark and Ghost type. Talk about a solid typing."

Anabel nodded. "It isn't weak against any type of attack, so no Pokémon can have a type advantage against a Spiritomb."

"Have you seen one before?' Brock asked, noting that Anabel seemed to be familiar with the said Pokémon.

"The Sinnoh Champion Cynthia has a Spiritomb." Anabel replied. "That's the only recorded case of a trained Spiritomb, I think. They're rarer than pseudo legendaries."

"You know Cynthia that well?" Dawn asked, as not everyone was privy to the knowledge of a regional champion's Pokémon.

Anabel inwardly cursed her slip of tongue. _Almost blew my cover there. _"Uhh... We've talked a couple of times during some meetings between the League and the Frontier." Which was technically true, Anabel reasoned. She didn't reveal, however, that the said meetings entailed the coordination of the G-Men, an organization many frontier brains were a member of.

'I will show you how below my league you are. Take this!' Spiritomb released a pulsating beam of purple circles. Ash could sense the dark aura surrounding the attack, and ordered Pikachu to counterattack.

"Thunderbolt!" As soon as the words left his trainer's mouth, Pikachu released a surge of electric current that intercepted the Dark Pulse before it reached him. The attacks negated each other, leaving Spiritomb briefly open for attacks.

"Follow up with Electro Ball!" Ash instructed. Pikachu's body was now shrouded in electricity and sparks flew haphazardly around him. Concentrating, he condensed all the electricity at his tail and formed a glowing yellow orb of electricity. He then jumped into the air, flipped, and threw the orb at Spiritomb. The speed of the attack caught Spiritomb off guard and he was hit by the shock when the Electo Ball exploded on his person.

'Score one!' Pikachu cheered, grinning.

Spiritomb growled, angered that he was the first to receive damage. A strange shadow formed under Spiritomb in the moonlight, and it shot out towards Pikachu. The shadow surrounded Pikachu before he could get away. Dark hands shot out from the ground, landing several hits on Pikachu before retracing.

"Shadow Sneak." Anabel said grimly, recognizing the attack. Dawn was a bit creeped out by the shadowy hands that emerged from the ground.

"Quick Attack!" Ash shouted, a plan forming in his mind. Not hesitating for a second, Pikachu blurred into motion from his position. Halfway through, he used the speed to jump towards the floating Spiritomb.

Spiritomb remained at the spot, knowing that the attack would have no effect against him. He smirked victoriously as Pikachu passed through him, and formed a Shadow Ball in front of him. Swiftly turning, he intended to deliver the attack at the point blank range, but Ash and Pikachu had other plans.

"Iron Tail!" Ash shouted. Pikachu's tail glowed white as he prepared for the attack. He performed a full backward flip and twisted himself at the last second, causing the Iron Tail to slam onto the Shadow Ball that was in the process of being formed. Pikachu used the momentum of the strike to propel himself backwards, while the destabilized Shadow Ball exploded on Spiritomb's face.

"Woah!" Dawn exclaimed, having never seen such a complex strategy before. Executed within the fraction of a second, it depended on Spiritomb turning to attack Pikachu after the Quick attack passed through him. The plan worked even better with Spiritomb forming a Shadow Ball for the attack, rather than something that could be immediately fired.

Spiritomb was now seething in anger, humiliated that his own attack was used against him. 'Oh yes, you will pay.' He growled, purple sparkles gathering around him. Spiritomb gathered all of his energy in the span of a second, and orange streaks surrounded his body. A purple orb encompassed his being, and he rocketed towards Pikachu who was just regaining his balance on the ground.

"Look out!" Ash shouted, but Pikachu could only turn around by the time Spiritomb closed in the distance between them. A malicious glint in his eyes, Spiritomb collided with Pikachu, resulting in an explosion in the area.

"That was Giga Impact." Ritchie identified the move immediately. "I sure hope Pikachu isn't hurt too badly by that attack." He knew that even a strong attack like that wouldn't take out Pikachu with his current level of damage.

As the dust cleared, the scene caused most viewers to gape in astonishment. Spiritomb was glaring daggers at a hole in the position Pikachu was supposed to be. 'Puny little...' The forbidden spirit muttered in anger.

"Pikachu used dig at the last second and escaped the brunt of the attack." Anabel explained in awe. "How much time did he get? Half a second?"

"All right Pikachu!" Ash cheered, glad that Pikachu avoided a large part of the attack by digging underground. "Surface and use Thunder!"

As soon as the command was issued, Pikachu surfaced from behind Spiritomb. Having anticipated this, Spiritomb abruptly turned around for a close range attack, but Pikachu attacked before Spiritomb could react. Channelling a large portion of his electric energy into a single attack, he let loose the devastating Thunder at close range.

'Ouch. That has gotta hurt.' Sparky said with a grin, feeling the static in the air. He almost felt sorry for Spiritomb. Almost.

Lucario, Ash and Latias widened their eyes, sensing the energy build up around Spiritomb.

"Pikachu, get out of-" Ash was unable to complete that warning, and Pikachu fell victim to a Hyper Beam launched from the vortex of the miniature thunderstorm. The Thunder ceased as Pikachu was hit by the Hyper Beam at relatively close range. He was dragged through the soil due to the sheer force of the attack, and landed in a heap a few meters away from his original position.

"Pikachu!" Ash shouted in concern. The yellow electric rodent proved to be tough, however, and got up with a determined face.

Ash quickly considered his options. Pikachu depleted a lot of electrical energy in that last attack, and that would take some time to replenish. Normal type attacks won't work against Spiritomb. He wanted to save Iron Tail for close range combat. Focus Punch also would have no effect on Spiritomb due to its unique typing, which left one option. _Time to test the new move._

"Signal Beam!" Ash instructed.

Pikachu opened his mouth and concentrate his energy towards a single point in front of him. A multicoloured ball of light began to form, and rapidly grew in size. As it reached a sufficient amount of power, Pikachu launched the attack towards Spiritomb who was still too exhausted to move. The beam closed in on Spiritomb within seconds and collided with it.

Spiritomb appeared out of the resulting explosion, looking worn down. He glared at Pikachu, and his eyes began to glow. Pikachu couldn't look away in time, and fell victim to Hypnosis. He slowly swayed in his feet and fell into a deep sleep, hitting the ground in the process. Ash let out a cry of concern, realizing what had happened.

Spiritomb let out a malevolent chuckle, confident in his victory. He prepared for the inevitable follow up attack. A spectral projection shot out of his body and swept through Pikachu. As the Dream Eater dissipated, Spiritomb looked reenergized and Pikachu looked much worse of wear. Chuckling again, he prepared a Dark Pulse, ready to end it.

"Get up, Pikachu!" Ash shouted urgently. _"Get up!" _He reached out to Pikachu's consciousness and tugged it back to wakefulness. Pikachu opened his eyes only to find a Dark Pulse closing in on him. Within the second that the attack reached him, Pikachu escaped by digging deep into the ground. Not wasting a second, he resurfaced behind Spiritomb with his tail glowing in a metallic lustre as the Dark Pulse dissipated to nothingness. Before Spiritomb had a chance to realize what was happening, Pikachu nailed the Iron Tail into the keystone.

"Discharge!" Ash shouted immediately, taking the opportunity. Pikachu grinned, and let loose a vast torrent of electric energy through his now metallic tail. Unlike the usual instances of that attack, the entire electric energy was concentrated to a single point, increasing its effectiveness. Pikachu immediately back flipped as he sensed the build up of the charge he had forcefully transferred to Spiritomb. Landing on the ground, he witnessed a spectacular explosion with Spiritomb as the epicentre.

'Rest in peace.' Sparky grinned upon seeing the display of power that would take down even the strongest of Pokémon.

As the smoke of the explosion subsided, everyone could see the keystone that was part of Spiritomb lying on the grass, unmoving. In a move that surprised most of the onlookers, Ash hurled his Pokéball at the stone. The ball collided with the keystone accompanied by an audible clang, and red light enveloped Spiritomb's fainted form. The Pokéball sucked Spiritomb inside, and the sound signifying capture was heard. Spiritomb was too weak to put up a fight at this point.

'Great job, bro!' Sparky shouted, and ran towards the now exhausted Pikachu. Even in his tired state, Pikachu managed to grin and gave a hi-five to his fellow electric rodent.

'That was awesome!' Buizel shouted in joy, rushing towards Ash and Pikachu. 'Can you teach me how to battle like that? Please?'

Buizel's words caught Ash off guard. _Is he asking me to train him? _Ash thought. He glanced at Anabel, silently asking if she interpreted the meaning similarly.

"Looks like Buizel is asking Ash to train him." Anabel confirmed. Lucario and Latias nodded in agreement.

Dawn considered the turn of events. Buizel looked really enthusiastic to be trained under Ash. She had felt for some time that Buizel was meant to be a battler and not a performer. After witnessing the fierce loyalty Buizel displayed in protecting her, Dawn felt like she owed it to Buizel to let him follow his heart's wishes. Buizel had turned to her by now, his expression pleading. Dawn instinctually knew that his eyes were begging her to understand that he was a Pokémon that loved to battle. Buizel liked Dawn as a trainer, but his heart lay in a path that Dawn had not chosen to take.

"It's okay Buziel, I understand." Dawn said softly. "I have a feeling you'll do great as a battler." She turned to Ash. "I'll entrust him to your care now, Ash."

Ash smiled brightly; glad as he always was to have a new friend. "I promise, Dawn, I'll take good care of Buizel. I have ten Pokémon with me now, so we'll do the transfer in Solaceon." Ash thought for a moment, remembering that he too had a Pokémon that had expressed interest in contests before. He remembered his Aipom's interest towards contests when they had travelled in Kanto. Ash grinned. Perhaps he can make this fair to Dawn too. "And I think I have a Pokémon who will be just as eager to enter contests with you. We'll trade."

"Huh? Really? Who's that?" Dawn asked.

"It's a surprise. I'll introduce you two when we get to Solaceon." Ash smiled. Brock had a good suspicion on who Ash was referring to, but kept quiet so that he wouldn't ruin it.

"By the way, does anyone else notice that it's midnight?" Anabel asked, amused. Realization sunk in as everyone looked around and confirmed that the time was indeed midnight, and they were in the middle of a forest.

"Guess we'll camp out tonight." Brock announced. Everyone agreed, as that seemed to be the best option at the moment. Returning the Pokémon back to their respective Pokéballs, the group set out to find the clearing they had trained on earlier. With Latias' help, they got there fast enough. As they prepared to settle in for the night, Dawn voiced the question that was in everyone's mind.

"By the way Ash, why did you capture Spiritomb?" Dawn asked, sounding slightly scared. "He looked like he almost wanted to kill you."

"That Spiritomb was imprisoned by an Aura Guardian centuries ago for its bad behaviour. That Aura guardian also happened to have a Pikachu, so that's why he had a grudge against me. I freed him because I thought he deserved a second chance. Now I'm responsible to make sure he doesn't cause anymore trouble in the future." Ash replied.

"Wait a minute..." Dawn frowned. "You mean to say you _deliberately_ freed that Spiritomb?"

Ash shrunk under the glare most of the group were giving him. _This is going to be a long night._

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**Ending notes: Please leave your comments and criticism in your reviews. On that note, I wonder if this chapter will get the story up to five hundred reviews? :)**


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